12-01-2008 CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City Council Minutes Page December 1 � 2008 Diane Marsolek commented on an article she read about abela's and that they don't have to pay taxes for 19. years. She asked how the City drags businesses into the City and what type of tax programs do they offer. Ms. ;Johnson stated the City has programs in place to draw cor=e-rcial and industrial businesses into the City. She stated the City offers programs such as mx abatement or a tax increment financing.River' s tax increment is at % mO eo .p=son to the City of Rogers, %vhere abela's is located, has had appro-xi-mately 0% of its property value in tax increment. Diane Lockwood stated d rmi g her job of nail delivery, she notices a lot of empty commercial buildings in the City. She asked how the City coUect:s taxes from businesses that are shut dwvm. She also commented that there is a building located on industrial Circle built with TIF money that is sitting empty. ,payor Jinn ing stated ffiey still collect taxes from these businesses whether or not anyone is m the biding. Ms. ,Johnson. stated the City currently doesn't have a high number of ta_. delinquencies to date. She also stated that there weren't any TIS" projects on Indust6al Circle. She stated there is no correlation between TIS` and City ownership of TIF financed projects or buildings. Frank Carlson, 9998 — 215thAvenue NW, stated he owns a construction business and has had to lay people off. I -Es stated his property value stayed the same and yet his property taxes went up. He stated hisincome has dropped by 9.0% from Eve years ago, and so he wondered if the council has informed City employees they wiU be tang a pay cuts He stated the City bounding permits and revenues are down, so -%vh.y haven't building inspectors been laid off. He commented about the biding inspectors and the laptops in their fancy trucks which had to have cost about o,000. Ms. Johnson stated one building inspector has transferred over to filu-time cede enforcement and has been busy addressing code violations and die increase in foreclosed houses sitting empty and the safety concerns that come xvith that. One temporary inspector position was eliminated. Mayor Klining stated code enforcement is a huge concern of many residents, and the number one reason people call her. She stated the City is trying to maintain a level of service -;-ith ut raising the budget, but if costs continue to rase, they may have to lower the level o se re. Lay-offs haven't occurred because Ivo positions Nveren7t aed. ouncilmernber Zenvas stated the laptops are recycled laptops previously used in police squad cars. Sharon Sandeen — no address given — her concerns are as a homeowner and stated people moving to the area need to check the tax amounts before moving here, as it is a very nice place to live but very expensive. She stated she would like to ash the basement of their house} but theywouldn't be able to afford living in a house where the valve stays the same but the taxes are raised, Diane Marsolek asked about fuel costs and how the fluctuation is affecting the budget.