5.0. SR 08-31-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1999 Budget Memo August 31, 1998 Page 5 only hope for similar results in 1999. Unless the NTC increases more than it did last year, the city tax rate will have to go up in order to generate the additional tax revenue which is needed to support 1999 general fund and debt expenses. At the budget worksessions it will be recommended to the City Council that it approve the proposed maximum levy at the highest level allowed by the levy limit law. This is the same action the City Council took last year, however, at the December public hearing the Council reduced the tax levy amount. The NTC information from the county was not available last year until the beginning of October. This information is essential in order for the City Council to make an informed decision about the impact on the city tax rate for generating additional tax revenue. In a recent conversation with the County Auditor, it was indicated that the 1999 NTC information should be available "around" Labor Day. This may affect when the next budget worksession is scheduled. If the Council approves the levy limit maximum, then like last year, most of the real budget work will be done in October and November. This will allow staff time to receive Council input in September and refine revenue and expenditure estimates for worksessions later in the year. EXPENDITURES The requested expenditures for all city departmental budgets are scheduled to be handed out at the 8/31/98 worksession. Included in the departmental budgets will be a request for additional personnel. The list of personnel requests includes a full time Economic Development assistant (40% in the general fund, 40% in the EDA budget, and 20% in the HRA budget), a part time assistant for the Senior Citizen Coordinator, a police records clerk, and a 3/4 time recreation programming clerk. Additionally, there will be some new projects and programs to review with the City Council including the cost associated with the Youthbound project, a proposal to codify the city ordinances, and a proposal for a new mapping system called Arc View/Arc Info. New, large, or unusual equipment purchases that will require City Council review includes the $75,000 fire department tanker chassis, the $106,000 street department truck, and the expedition type of vehicle for the police sergeants rather than a more typical police sedan. A number of financial issues will also need to be decided by the City Council which are not in any individual budget. One of these issues is how the city is going to finance the police department's request to address the Y2K issue as