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[Special City Council Meeting on August 26, 2024.]
ABSOLUTELY.THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO START THIS MEETING WITH SLIDES THE WAY WE STARTED LAST WEEK'S MEETING.
UM, BUT WE HAVE SOME SLIDES AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE IF WE NEED THEM.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE, TEXAS TO HEAR ANY AND ALL PERSONS DESIRING TO BE HEARD.
CONCERNING THE 2024 TAX YEAR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE.
I AM OPENING THIS PUBLIC HEARING IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE TO SPEAK ON THE TAX RATE.
YOU ARE INVITED TO THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
OH, IS IT ON? PUSH THE LITTLE BAR IN THE FRONT.
BETTER? THANK YOU, MR. BESSNER.
1 1 8 4 2 MUL HOLLAND SINCE 1975.
WHERE DID WE SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? BEFORE THESE MEETINGS? I ASK THAT ALL OF YOU STAND AND LET'S SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BEFORE WE START.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, GLAD WE HAVE A CONSENT FOR THAT.
I WAS HERE AT THE BUDGET MEETING OF THE LAST TIME I WAS STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ASKING FOR NO NEW TAXES UNTIL YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE AMENITIES.
NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO SELL THE NATURE CENTER.
LESS THAN 10% OF THE PEOPLE, OF THE RESIDENTS USE THAT NATURE CENTER.
IF WE PUT $300,000, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE RIGHT ABOUT FOR THE HOUSES SELLING HERE IN THE MEADOWS, WE COULD PUT THAT INTO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE SOLD THAT HOUSE TO INDIVIDUAL, WE WOULD PUT THAT PROPERTY BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS, WHICH WOULD BE ANOTHER $2,000 A YEAR APPROXIMATELY.
WE NEED TO HAVE LESS, UH, AMENITIES AND MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHENEVER THE MAYOR, THE PREVIOUS MAYOR TOOK OFFICE, HE DID NOT HAVE, TO ME, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE DAY HE LEFT OFFICE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS WORSE THAN THE DAY THAT HE TOOK OFFICE.
SO THAT, AND I DON'T ALSO, THE FEES THAT WE PAY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A PART OF OUR TAXES.
OUR WATER BILL IS GONNA BE GETTING TO BE NOT A WATER BILL, BUT A FEE BILL IN WHICH WE PAY ALL THESE FEES.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE DAY THAT THE FEE FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS INITIATED, THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WANTED $5 A MONTH BECAUSE THEY'RE ON FIXED INCOMES.
AND THEN AFTER IT WAS ALL OVER, THE MAYOR SAYS, I'M THINKING ABOUT 10.
AND EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER FOLLOWED LIKE SHEEP AND AGREED TO THE $10 A MONTH.
I HAVE OTHER STUFF COMING IN, BUT MOSTLY FIXED INCOMES.
IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND, AND, AND, UH, TRY TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO PAY THE TAXES.
THANK GOD FOR GOVERNOR ABBOTT LAST YEAR WHO LOWERED THE SCHOOL TAXES TO THE POINT THAT I COULD REALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE.
WE NEED TO SEE SOME KIND OF THE SAME DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY BUDGET, IN OUR CITY TAXES.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM? HI, UH, SYLVIA ROMANO, 1 1 9 2 3 BLOOMINGTON LANE.
UM, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE TAX INCREASE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE, THE NATURE CENTER, THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO
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IN THE PARK, THE POLICE, UH, THE WONDERFUL POLICE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE MUCH BETTER SERVICES THAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH RECOLLECTION OF, UH, UM, THE, THE THE TRASH CANS.AND I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT THINGS AND WE EVEN WERE MENTIONED IN THE MAGAZINE, LIKE ONE OF THE BEST ONES.
WE, WE THINK THAT WE WANT YOUNG FAMILIES WITH KIDS TO COME HERE TO LIVE, TO MAKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS BEAUTIFUL AS ALWAYS WAS SINCE WE MOVED HERE.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT TAXES FOR SCHOOLS ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT OUR KIDS TO LEARN
UH, SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF FOR BEND ISE EVEN THOUGH I WAS A TEACHER IN HOUSTON, ISE, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF FOR BEND ISE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF MY CITY AND THAT'S WHY I REALLY SUPPORTED THE TAX HIKE.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM? ACTUALLY NOT JUST TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON PLEASE.
KELLY MILL SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT.
UM, I'M FOR THE TAX RATE, I CHECKED WITH MY OLDER SISTER.
SHE LIVES IN HOUSTON AND HER TAXES RUN HER JUST OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE CONSTABLE.
THEY HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR THAT.
I COULD GIVE YOU HER ADDRESS, BUT SHE DOESN'T WANT ME TO TO LOOK IT UP.
UH, WHAT ELSE DO THEY PAY FOR? THEIR TRASH COMES ONCE A WEEK, NOT TWICE.
RECYCLING IS LIKE ONCE EVERY BLUE MOON HEAVY TRASH IS EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SOMETHING AND ALL.
AND SHE CAN'T BELIEVE WE ONLY PAY, I THINK OURS WILL BE 3000 SOMETHING A YEAR.
SHE'S LIKE, ARE YOU SURE? AND I SAID, YES.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF AREAS IN HOUSTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
WE DON'T HAVE AN HOA, THEY HAVE AN HOA ON TOP OF THE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAX.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PAID OFF, WILL NEVER BE PAID OFF.
UH, THEY ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.
UH, THEY'RE OLDER THAN ME, SO YES,
UH, BRUCE AND I HAVE BEEN ON A FIXED INCOME SINCE 2007 WHEN WE WERE REALLY YOUNG BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL CRISIS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE FIXED INCOME.
WE WENT DOWN TO BLOWING AND GOING AND MAKING MONEY AND SAVING A LOT.
LUCKILY MY HUSBAND IS A SAVER, NOT A SPENDER LIKE ME.
YES, WE'VE HAD TO CUT BACK ON A LOT OF STUFF.
WE BUY USED VEHICLES, WHATEVER, BUT I DON'T THINK CUTTING OUR TAXES OR WHATEVER, NOT RAISING THEM WILL BENEFIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE LONG RUN.
WE'VE GOT THE NEW SCHOOL, WE'VE GOT A NATURE CENTER, WE'VE GOT A NICE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE ENJOYING THESE AMENITIES AND THEN THEY BRING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WILL BUY HOUSES.
WE DON'T WANT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DYING OFF LIKE THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYTHING.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM? TERRY HENLEY 1, 2 2 0 3 AUSTIN DRIVE.
AND AND BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT THAT, THAT YOU MADE, THE NUMBERS THIS WEEK ARE THE SAME OF OUR LAST WEEK.
AND I RAISED A QUESTION ON THE, THE, UH, BUDGET YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UH, PRESENTED THAT SHOWS SPECIFICALLY CURRENT VALOREM TAX OF $3,000,925 AND $925,510.
NOW, FOR SOME REASON, ON THE SPREADSHEETS YOU HAVE FOR THE BUDGETS ONLINE, IT SHOWS THAT NUMBER OF $4,311,148.
I NEED AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE.
'CAUSE IT SHOULD BE ONE AND THE SAME.
OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR ANNA MARIA, I'LL TAKE THAT.
THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET IS THAT WE ARE BUDGETING 97% OF THE, UH, COLLECTION RATE.
AND WHAT THE CAD IS DOING IS THEY'RE GIVING A HUNDRED PERCENT AND WE NEVER GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE DEFINITELY NOT IN THE FIRST YEAR.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THAT, THAT DOESN'T CALCULATE TO $400,000 DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE USING THE CADS NUMBERS THAT THEY'RE GIVING US FOR
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THE TAX LEVY FROM LAST YEAR IN WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME NUMBER WE'RE USING IN OUR BUDGET.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN THE BUDGET FOR 23 $3,925,510 IS WHAT YOU BUDGETED.
WHAT WAS THE ACTUAL WE'RE GONNA FALL SHORT ABOUT 85,000.
OKAY, THEN WHY ARE YOU SHOWING IN, UH, ON THE, UH, UH, ONLINE FOR THE BUDGET NUMBERS FOR 2023, YOU'RE SHOWING $4,311,148.
THERE'S A $400,000 DIFFERENCE AND ONE VERSUS THE OTHER.
NOW, I, I STILL DIDN'T EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE.
THE, THE WHAT YOU HAVE ONLINE IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN WHAT'S ON YOUR ACTUAL BUDGET.
WE, WE DECIDED ON THE BUDGET TO BE ON THE CONSERVATIVE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE SIDE AND NOT OVERESTIMATE WE WANTED TO COME IN LOWER THAN WHAT WE THINK WE MAY GET.
SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING AS WE GO INTO THE YEAR IF THE REVENUES DON'T REACH THAT.
SO WE TOOK THE, THE, UM, LOWER REVENUE NUMBER AND PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AS A WAY TO BE CONSERVATIVE.
WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY RECEIVE IN VALOREM TAX? WE WON'T KNOW THAT.
THE ACTUAL, THAT'S THE WHAT'S THE ACTUAL, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE ACTUAL NUMBER YOU RECEIVED? I DON'T HAVE, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE BUDGET NUMBERS.
BUDGET AND ACTUAL WE, OH, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS IN AN EMAIL.
WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK, YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK.
WE DON'T HAVE IT FOR US, BUT WE HAVE ACTUALS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL, WE HAVE THAT TRACKING BACK INTO MULTIPLE YEARS.
SO ONCE WE HIT FISCAL YEAR 20 FOURS ACTUALS, THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT NUMBER TO STACK IT UP AGAINST THE BUDGETED NUMBER.
BUT WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY TO ACTUALLY BUDGET A REVENUE AMOUNT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT THE COUNTY THINKS WE'RE GONNA COLLECT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE IN CASE WE DON'T COLLECT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT AVALOR UH, TAX.
SO IS THE BUDGETED NUMBER FOR 20 23, 3 0.9 MILLION OR 4.3? WHICH ONE IS IT? WHEN YOU SAY 23, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FISCAL YEAR 24? 2 2 3.
WHICH YOU HAD LAST, UH, YOU SAID LAST AUGUST, TALKING ABOUT LAST YEAR.
AND YOU, YOU'RE SHOWING TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
SO I WANNA KNOW WHICH ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WAS ONE OF 'EM.
WE CAN LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 20 THREES ACTUALS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE FISCAL YEAR 20 FOURS ACTUALS QUITE YET.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE FISCAL YEAR 20 FOURS, UH, ACTUALS UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 24 IS CLOSED OUT.
SO IN 2023, YOU SHOW ON THE, THE BUDGET SHEET THAT COURTNEY GAVE ME, THAT'S FOR THE 23 1 $9 MILLION.
AND ON THE WE ON THE, UH, ON YOUR WEBSITE IT'S SHOWING 4.3.
NOW THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
WHICH ONE IS IT? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE TRACKING WITH YOU.
YEAH, I MEAN, WE'LL FIND MEAN I'LL THIS LAST WEEK AND NOBODY SEEMED COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL FIND SO I, I DON'T, IF YOU GIVE US A CHANCE, WE'LL FIND THAT INFORMATION.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FISCAL YEAR 23, ARE YOU NOT? I UNDERSTAND.
AND, AND THEN IF WE GO TO 24, YOU'RE SHOWING ON HERE 3.9 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IN ON THIS SHEET YOU'RE SHOWING 4.8.
I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE TWO SHEETS ARE.
BUT MR. HENLEY, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT 24 25 FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH YOU'RE INCREASING IT FROM 24 TO 25.
AND, AND BASED ON A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR
SO MR. HENLEY, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW.
THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING, UH, 22 FISCAL YEAR 2223, UM, TAX LEVY ON ALL PROPERTIES.
AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS 4,818,000 FOR 24 25.
THAT'S THE PROPOSAL WITH THE, THE TAX RATE OF 0.8842.
AND THEN IF, IF THE TAX RATE AND THAT INCREASE IS CLOSE TO 20%, YOU ARE CORRECT.
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THE 2324 YEAR TO THE 24 25 YEAR.NOW THAT'S THE FOUR, THREE TO FOUR EIGHT.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THREE NINE TO FOUR EIGHT IS AN EARLY 22 YEARS BACK.
THAT 3.9, THE, THE 3.9 IS TWO YEARS AGO, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS SAYS.
8 7 23 WAS WAS A NUMBER YOU HAD FOR THAT, THAT BUDGET.
AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND THERE.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR 24 25 IS 20% HIGHER THAN TWO YEARS AGO.
WHAT IS IT ONE YEAR AGO THEN? 11.7%.
ASSUMING, I MEAN THE NUMBERS THAT IS ASSUMING THE HIGHEST PROPOSED TAX RATE, WHICH WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK, COUNCIL PROPOSED THE HIGHEST RATE.
ALL FOUR RATES ARE STILL ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO HEAR YOU TONIGHT ABOUT.
WE WON'T HAVE THE INCREASE ABOVE THE CURRENT YEAR UNTIL THE CURRENT YEAR CLOSES.
SO ALL WE CAN DO IS GO ON THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAVE BASED ON PROJECTIONS.
BUT THE PROJECTIONS AND THE NUMBERS YOU'RE SHOWING HERE ARE WAY OUTTA TER.
NOW, IF WE AGREE THAT IT APPEARS TO BE AN INCREASE OF $507,000 OR 11.77 INCREASE, AND I HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS I RAISED LAST WEEK, ANYTHING MORE THAN EIGHT I'M GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
AND ANYTHING MORE THAN EIGHT, THERE WILL BE A PETITION.
MM-HMM?
SO, AND I ACTUALLY HAD A DISCUSSION WITH SOMEBODY THIS WEEKEND ABOUT THAT.
SO THE OTHER CONFUSING THING I THINK FOR, FOR THIS, FOR THIS BUDGET SEASON, NOT JUST, NOT JUST THIS BUDGET SEASON, BUT HOW BUDGETS ARE BUILT.
WE BUILD THE BUDGET, WE BUILT THE BUDGET THIS YEAR BASED ON THE CURRENT TAX RATE, ASSUMING NO TAX RAISES.
LAST WEEK WE ADOPTED A BUDGET BASED ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ALL OF THIS REVENUE WHEN WE REALLY DON'T, THE BUDGET GOT ADOPTED ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE TONIGHT, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ADOPTING THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS RATIFYING SAYING IF WE ARE, IF IF IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE PROPOSED TAX RATE BUDGET, THEN WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO RATIFY THAT BUDGET TONIGHT.
SO THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHAT'S ON THE WEBSITE IS THE BUDGET SAYING THAT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS 0.88, DA DA DA.
BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE BUDGET THAT COUNCIL, THE TAX RATE THAT COUNCIL VOTES ON TONIGHT.
SO THE NUMBERS WILL SHIFT TONIGHT BASED ON THE TAX RATE.
AND YOU'RE CORRECT ON THE WEBSITE, THE BUDGET THAT'S SITTING ON THE WEBSITE SAYS THAT OUR TAX RATE IS 0.88, THE HIGHEST DE MINIS TAX RATE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
AND WHEN WE ADOPT THE BUDGET, WE ONLY HAVE THE PROPOSED NUMBER.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL ADOPTED TAX RATE.
AND THOSE CALCULATIONS CAME FROM THE CAD MM-HMM.
THEY WERE CALCULATED BY THE, BY THE COUNTY YES.
AND THOSE NUMBERS WERE CERTIFIED.
AND THAT'S WHAT ANNAMARIE HAS TO USE WHEN SHE PRESENTS THE INFORMATION TO US.
SO THAT THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS, WHATEVER THEY ARE.
AND THE, THE 0.88 WAS A NUMBER THAT WE GOT FROM THE CAD STATING IF THE REVENUES BASED ON OUR LEVY COME UP TO THIS, THIS IS THE MOST YOU CAN RAISE YOUR TAXES AND STILL STAY WITHIN THE DE MINIMUS RATE.
THAT'S, THAT'S FROM THE COUNTY.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SAID TO US, MM-HMM,
AND THE MINIMUMS RATE EXCEEDS THE 8%.
WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, MR. HENLEY, IS THAT YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS STATE ABOVE 8%.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AND I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK MOST TIMES, UH, ALL WITHOUT EXCEPTION, IT WAS THREE TO 5% THAT WE INCREASED IT WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL.
AND I HAD PROBLEM GOING ABOVE 5%.
AND I KNOW HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO USE SOME OF THE MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE RESERVES AND WHICH IS FINE WITH THAT, BUT NOT ABOVE 8%.
AND I WILL HAVE AN ISSUE IF IT'S ABOVE 8%.
JUST SO Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S 30 SOME PERCENT OF US ON FIXED INCOMES.
I'VE BEEN ON A FIXED INCOME FOR 12 YEARS.
AND IT'S STARTING TO HURT BECAUSE WE HAVE EXCELLENT TAX RATES HERE IN THE CITY.
MY OTHER PROPERTIES ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS.
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S NEITHER HERE OR THERE? 8%.
OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE A PETITION.
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GOT IT.WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM? GOOD EVENING.
VERIO ROMANO 1 1 9 2 3 BLOOMINGTON LANE.
UM, I, WITH MANY PEOPLE THAT WE TALK AND THEY SENT ALREADY LETTER TO THE CITY, I'M IN FAVOR OF YOU KEEPING THE SYSTEM CITY WORKING, WHICH WILL MEAN THAT WE WILL NEED TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH MEAN INCREASING LITTLE BIT THE TAXES.
UH, I WAS CHECKING TODAY ACROSS DIFFERENT CITIES, EVEN THAT WE MAY BE A LITTLE HIGHER THAN OTHERS.
AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE ARE, SAY WE ARE COLLECTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND ACTUALLY EVERYBODY'S INCREASING TAXES.
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS WE HAVE 7% TO 10% INCREASE IN OUR, BECAUSE WHAT WE CALL INFLATION.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, INDUSTRIES HAVE BEEN INCREASING A LOT MORE.
I JUST, WE JUST ARE ARRANGED TO HAVE WINDOW REPLACE.
THE COST FOR TWO PANELS OF WINDOWS WAS $36,000, WHICH AFTER ALL THIS THING, BECAUSE WE ARE IN A FIXED INCOME, AND ACTUALLY I THINK EVERYBODY'S IN A FIXED INCOME BECAUSE UNLESS YOU CHANGE OFF, YOU NORMALLY GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THAT'S WHAT, I NEVER SAY ANYTHING, BUT TECHNICALLY MY AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY MONTH IS EXACTLY THE SAME UNLESS THAN IT USED TO BE WHEN I, I WAS WORKING.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COSTS ARE HIGHER.
IF WINDOWS COST SO MUCH A PUMP THAT COSTS $40,000, IT MEANS $10,000 PER HOUR ON PER PERSON IN THE CITY.
WHILE, FOR EXAMPLE, ROSENBERG WITH 40,000 PEOPLE WILL BE ONLY $1 PER PERSON FOR THE SAME PUMP.
WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THAT.
SO EVEN THAT, UH, TWO, $300 MAY MAKE IT DIFFERENT IN A YEAR.
IT MEANS THAT, UH, I PREFER TO HAVE UNPAID $200 TO THE CITY AND NOT TO MY CITY AND NOT TO PAY $600 BECAUSE THE TIRE WENT BROKEN BECAUSE THE STREET WAS BROKEN.
LIKE IT HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AGO.
SO RIGHT NOW I LOST $600 REPLACING A TIRE THAT I SHOULDN'T BE REPLACING BECAUSE THE STREET SHOULD BE REPAIRED.
SO FORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT IN MEADOW'S PLACE, IT WAS CROSSING MEADOW'S PLACE.
IT WAS IN THE NEXT CITY, SUGARLAND.
SO THAT MEAN IF SUGARLAND CANNOT KEEP THE CITY RUNNING BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO SAVE TAXES, WHY ARE WE GOING TO DO THE SAME? I DON'T WANT TO PAY THOUSAND AND THOUSAND OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR ON REPAIR MY CAR OR REPAIRING MY HOUSE, UH, HAVING TROUBLE WITH ELECTRICITY BECAUSE WE CANNOT MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM, HAVE WATER CONTAMINATED.
WE CAN JUST, BECAUSE I PREFER TO TRY TO MANAGE MY BUDGET.
AND I KNOW MAYBE THE SOLUTION WILL BE FOR SOME, SOMETIMES THE CITY TO FIND A WAY TO FIND WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE, WITH OUR GENERATION, THE OLD GENERATION, THAT SOMETIMES WE'LL NEED HELP ON OUR FINANCES, BUT AT END WE NEED TO THINK ON THE FUTURE AND OUR CHILDREN'S, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE IN THE CITY FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
I MEAN, VERY SOON, LIKE I'M NOT, EVEN IF I AM A LIAR, I WILL NOT BE IN THE CITY.
UH, BECAUSE I WILL NEED, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO TODAY.
SO I NEED TO THINK IN THE FUTURE.
AND I IN FAVOR OF THAT, YOU WILL DO THE TAXES BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THE COST OF LIVING IS HIGHER.
UM, UH, WE HAVE, UH, LUCKY FOR EXAMPLE, FORBEARING HAS A LOWER TAXES.
THE, SORRY, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR BEN HAS A LOWER TAXI THAN LAMAR CONSOLIDATED.
UH, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE I, I WORK FOR, FOR THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE MONEY AND WE NEED TO DEAL WITH GOING AND BUYING AS A TEACHER STUFF FOR OUR KID BECAUSE THE SCHOOL CANNOT PROVIDE IT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE MR. ABBO DECIDED TO TAKE AWAY MONEY FROM THE SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGIVE TO THIS GUY BECAUSE TO AND THEIR PROCESSES.
BECAUSE THAT MEAN THAT I NEEDED TO SPEND MY OWN MONEY.
MY WIFE HAS SPENT THEIR OWN MONEY BECAUSE THE STATE DIDN'T SUPPORT EDUCATION.
SO I REALLY LIKE THE CITY SUPPORTING OUR CITY.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE WILL NEED TO DO THE EFFORT AND RAISE THE TAXES.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM? HI, SORRY, I'M LOSING MY VOICE.
UM, MY NAME IS BEAT ES I LIVE AT ONE 1-819-SCOTTSDALE DRIVE.
UM, MY THING IS, YES, TEXAS ARE CITY NEEDS ACCESS, YOU KNOW, TO GET EVERYTHING TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT THIS YEAR MY HOUSE WENT UP SUBSTANTIALLY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, SINCE I LIVED IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT MY WHOLE THING IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WILL THE CITY HAVE ANY IMPLEMENTATION
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ON ALL THE ANIMALS THAT ARE STRAY? THE CATS, THE DOGS? IT'S REALLY GETTING OUTTA CONTROL, ESPECIALLY IN MY CORNER.AND I'M TAKING CARE OF ALL MY OWN MONEY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN, I CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT, BUT IT'S JUST GOTTEN WORSE EVEN AFTER YOUR, UM, YOUR A LETTER THAT CAME OUT.
SO I WANNA KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING, UM, PLANNED FOR THAT WITH ALL THESE TAXES THAT ARE GONNA BE INCREASED FOR, FOR, UM, THE HOUSES FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR 2024 OR 2025 OR FUTURE.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, THEN WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN THE CITY DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH ANIMAL CONTROL SPECIFICALLY? UM, TOMORROW AT TOMORROW'S COUNCIL MEETING, WE WILL BE, UM, REWORDING OUR ANIMAL, ONE OF OUR ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES, UM, TO ADDRESS SOME GRAY AREA THAT THERE'S BEEN.
AND THAT'S, THAT IS HAPPENING TOMORROW.
UM, WHICH WILL HELP, UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCE IN A WAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BECAUSE THE, THE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN GRAY.
UM, I AM WORKING WITH, I'M WORKING WITH THE ANIMAL WITH, FOR BEND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL.
UM, WE WILL BE GETTING ON THE CALENDAR PREVENTATIVE PROACTIVE MEASURES, UM, TO HELP WITH THINGS LIKE MICROCHIPPING AND SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
UM, BUT, BUT LARGELY THE NEED, THE NEED THAT, THAT POTENTIALLY EXTRA FUNDS WOULD GO TO IF, IF THE TAX RATE WERE TO BE RAISED, UM, IS GOING TO BE INFRASTRUCTURE.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE ROADS, STREETS, WATERLINES, UM, THINGS THAT SIDEWALKS, UM, THAT IT, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE, IS THE MAIN, MAIN GOAL YEAH.
BUT YOU ARE, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
WE ARE WORKING ON ANIMAL CONTROL AND THAT HAS NOT STOPPED.
AND ALSO, UM, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF RENTAL PROPERTIES, BUT THEY'RE NOT FROM LIKE A HOMEOWNER.
I, I'LL COME TO THE CITY LATER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN ADDRESS ALTER GOING FORWARD.
I AM AN COUNCIL AS WELL, OR WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HEAR FROM, FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC CONCERN, PLEASE REACH OUT I'LL TO OUR CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL AND AND MYSELF.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM THIS EVENING?
I'M AT 1 2 0 1 8 SCOTSDALE DRIVE.
THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING WITH Y'ALL ON THE TAXES.
NOW I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE MY LAST
UM, I'M MORE COMMON THAN IT IS ABOUT THE TAXES.
I DIDN'T STUDY IT, SO, BUT I'M, I'M NOT FOR MORE TAXES EITHER.
BUT THE REALITY OF THE WHOLE SITUATION, YOU GOTTA RAISE TAXES.
WE GOTTA KEEP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING UP.
COMMENTS YOU MADE THERE, KELLY, ABOUT KEEPING OUR PROPERTY VALUES UP.
MY QUESTION IS, OUR TAXES ARE ALREADY GOING UP BECAUSE THEY'RE RAISING THE VALUES OF OUR HOMES.
SO WE'RE GONNA PAY MORE TAXES UPFRONT.
SO MY QUESTION IS TO THE COUNCIL, DO YOU TAKE IN THAT CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE RAISING THIS, WHEN YOU MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR TAX RATES TO RAISE IT, ARE YOU GOING TO BE TAKING MONEY OUT OF OUR, OUR CITIZENS' POCKETS SO THEY CAN'T KEEP THEIR HOUSES UP? 'CAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE NICE STREETS AROUND HERE AND HOUSES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE OUT OF THE GHETTO, RIGHT? IF WE CAN'T ENFORCE OUR CODES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEN YOU CAN HAVE PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO HAVE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR HOUSES UP.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REAL NICE WATER SYSTEM AND ROADS, BUT WHERE HOUSES ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE SOMETHING IN THE THIRD WARD.
AND ALL WE'RE GONNA DO IS THE PROPERTY VALUES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO GO UP.
BECAUSE WHERE WE'RE AT, WE'RE IN CENTRAL HOUSTON FOR THAT MATTER RIGHT NOW, OUR VALUES WILL GO UP AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PAY TAXES.
SO WE NEED TO BE REAL CAREFUL WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH Y'ALL, OUR TAXES AS WE'RE RAISING THEM.
WHAT VALUE ARE YOU GIVING BACK TO THE CITIZENS TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THEIR COSTS THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH, I'LL SAY THE JONESES, BUT KEEP UP WITH THE MEADOWS PLACE.
BUT YOU WANT YOUR HOUSE TO LOOK NICE, BUT IT'S, IT'S VERY UNAFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
AND THAT MONEY IS COMING OUT THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR TAXES OR YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE YOUR HOUSE.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVER OVEREXTEND OURSELVES AND LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO GET REVENUE INTO OUR CITY.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM? ALL RIGHT.
I AM NOW CLOSING THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M NOW CLOSING THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVE ORDINANCE.
OH WAIT, AM I OPENING DISCUSSION? YEAH.
[00:30:01]
WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO, WHICH IS ACTION.DISCUSSION AND CONSIDER, OH, WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 24 36, PROVIDING A PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF AD VALOREM TAXES BY THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE TO TEXAS FOR THE YEAR 2024.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, I THINK BEFORE I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR A A PROPOSAL THAT WE ACCEPT, I'D, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE STATEMENTS.
UM, ONE, I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TONIGHT AND SHARED THEIR, THEIR IDEAS.
WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE THAT SENT US EMAILS, UH, BOTH ASKING US TO HOLD THE LINE ON TAXES.
ANOTHER THAT SAID THEY SUPPORTED THE INCREASES BASED ON THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE CALCULATIONS I DID PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AND REALLY FOR THE BUDGET WAS I LOOKED AT WHAT WE HAVE, UM, AHEAD OF US AS A CITY AND WE HAVE UNFUNDED THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT ARE, THAT ARE PLANNED OUT.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT EXTRAVAGANT.
THESE ARE MAINTAINING OUR, OUR STREETS, OUR SIDEWALKS, OUR WATER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, OUR WATER LINES.
AND OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE HAVE ABOUT $8 MILLION WORTH OF EXPENSES UNFUNDED.
SO THAT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE HAVE TWO, TWO BUCKETS OF MONEY THAT THE CITY USES.
ONE IS GENERAL AND ONE IS UTILITY.
UTILITY IS INFRASTRUCTURE FEE, YOUR WATER BILL, THE GARBAGE BILL, ALL OF THAT, THAT ALL HAS TO COME OUT OF THE OTHER ONE.
SO THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF, NEXT 10 YEARS, $8 MILLION.
WE HAVE ZERO MONEY RIGHT NOW TOWARDS THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S UNFUNDED ON THE UTILITY SIDE.
WE HAVE $10 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
SO THERE'S ABOUT $700,000 A YEAR ON ONE, 800 ON THE OTHER.
BUT IN THAT NEXT 15 YEARS, WE HAVE $5 MILLION THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR, UH, WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS, THAT'S WATER LINES AND THE BRAKES UNDER THE STREET.
ALL OF THAT WOULD BE REPLACING ALL OUR WATER LINES IS GONNA COST US $5 MILLION.
WE DON'T HAVE A PENNY OF THAT SAVED TODAY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE RESERVE WE HAVE FOR THE UTILITY IS STILL SEVEN MONTHS SHORT OF HAVING A, A FUN BALANCE WHERE WE FEEL SAFE IF WE HAVE ANOTHER SUMMER LIKE WE DID TWO YEARS AGO WHERE WE HAD ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF WATER MAIN BREAKS WE'RE, WE'RE, RIGHT NOW IT'S SPENDING, UM, $4 MILLION.
FORTUNATELY WE HAD SOME FUNDS COME FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY, BUT WE'RE SPENDING $4 MILLION THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW TO, TO UPDATE OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IS DECADES OLD.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE SITUATIONS WHERE WE DIDN'T QUITE MEET REQUIREMENT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB BRIDGING IT AND WE'RE UNDER PROCESS NOW OF DOING THAT.
CAMERON, DO YOU HAVE THE SLIDE I, UH, THAT YOU PUT ON THE, THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT IT'S THE, UM, THIS IS ON THE WEBSITE.
THIS IS SOMETHING CAMERON STARTED DOING.
UH, IT'S IT'S LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ONLINE, THIS SHOWS OUR CAPITAL EXPENSES AND THERE'S A, UM, YOU JUST, YOU, YEAH.
SO AS, AS THOSE HIGHLIGHT, YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AND YOU CAN, LIKE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT ONE, UM, TOTAL COST $3.9 MILLION, THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING FROM CITY, UH, FUNDS, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS.
UH, WE ALSO HAD I THINK SOME MONEY FROM THE COUNTY.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON, UH, I WILL TELL YOU, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK.
PART OF THAT IS THE STAFF IS ABLE TO GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN GRANTS AND LOANS THAT WE, UH, JUST GRANTS.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO PAY BACK.
BUT GRANTS AND MONIES FROM THE COUNTY, FROM THE, THE STATE, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THESE ARE, THESE ARE MONIES THAT DON'T COME FROM YOUR PROPERTY TAX.
SOME OF 'EM COME FROM YOUR SALES TAX BECAUSE THE EDC, WHICH IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, GETS A HALF A PENNY FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT IN MEADOWS.
SO THE, THE EIGHT, EIGHT AND A QUARTER, THEY GET, THEY GET A HALF A CENT OF THAT AND THEY CAN PUT SOME OF THAT BACK TO HELP PAY FOR THE PARKS.
THEY HELP PAY FOR SOME OF THE STUFF THAT HAPPENS AT THE NATURE CENTER.
THEY HELP PAY FOR, UH, DIFFERENT BEAUTIFICATION THINGS ON THE CITY, VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY CAN SPEND.
BUT EVERY YEAR, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE ALLOCATED TO THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THE TAXPAYER BASE.
BUT THIS $10 MILLION FOR THE UTILITY FUND AND $8 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S NOT GONNA COME FROM, NOT, NOT MUCH OF THAT'S GONNA COME FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY.
THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY THE RESIDENTS.
[00:35:01]
SAVING NOW FOR THE, FOR WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING, THEN WE'RE GONNA END UP IN A CRISIS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BORROW MONEY.AND IF WE BORROW MONEY, GUESS WHAT? WE PAY A LOT OF INTEREST ON IT.
AND THEN WE'RE LOCKED IN AND WE'VE LOCKED THE, THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS IN FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS OF PAYING BACK DEBT.
AND WE'VE HAD DEBT BEFORE WE, WE FINISHED PAYING IT OFF A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UM, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THERE, THERE, THERE WERE SOME ONLINE THINGS AND I'VE SEEN SOME THINGS IN SOME ARTICLES ABOUT ANOTHER CITY.
I THINK IT'S ROSENBERG LOWERED THEIR TAX RATE.
JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, THE CITY OF MEADOWS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND THERE IS A SLIDE FOR THIS, I THINK, UM, FIVE TIMES OUT OF THE PAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE LOWERED THE RATE, WE HAVE LOWERED THE TAX RATE.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE LOWERED THE TAX BILL, BUT WE LOWERED THE RATE BECAUSE WE WERE RECEIVING ENOUGH REVENUE FROM THE INCREASED VALUES OF THE HOMES.
SO YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE THAT, THAT THAT DOT THE BLUE DOTS, THE THE DARK LINE THAT, THAT IS OUR TAX RATE.
SO WE, WE WERE AT 0.89 IN 2014.
AND IF WE GO INTO 2025, UM, WE HAVE 0.38, WHICH IS THE, THE VOTER APPROVED RATE.
IF WE GO TO 0.88, WE'RE STILL BELOW WHERE WE WERE 10 YEARS AGO.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE TAXES GO DOWN, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER CITY THAT SAID WE'VE LOWERED THE TAX RATE, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A REAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT'S JUST A, I I DON'T WANNA SAY SMOKE AND MIRRORS, BUT THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE THAT AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ARTICLES IN THE CHRONICLES SAYING, MEADOWS FIVE OUT OF THE TOP LAST 10 YEARS HAVE LOWERED THEIR TAX RATE.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT A REFLECTION OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING.
SO WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING IN THE PAPER THAT SAYS, WE'RE LOWERING OUR TAX RATE, LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE OTHER ASPECTS OF IT ARE.
SO WITH THAT, I KIND OF GET OFF MY SOAPBOX AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL RATE.
I WOULD, UH, SEE, I WOULD SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
WELL, I JUST HAVE TO, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I KNOW WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL EMAILS AND DISCUSSIONS.
UM, AND I KNOW THE DISCOVERY CENTER GETS BROUGHT UP A LOT.
AND THEN ALSO CONCERTS IN THE PARK OF THINGS THAT WE SHOULD GET RID OF TO SAVE MONEY.
UM, LOOKING INTO CONCERTS IN THE PARK, UM, I THINK THAT COSTS US ROUGHLY 20,000 FOR THE YEAR, I WANNA SAY.
UH, AND $20,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M NOT SAYING $20,000 IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY 'CAUSE IT IS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S, IT, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO BUILD UP TO WHAT YOU NEED.
UM, BUT IF WE GET RID OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE GETTING RID OF OUR COMMUNITY.
CONCERT IN THE PARK IS WHERE OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER.
MY, I KNOW MY CHILDREN LOOK FORWARD TO IT, IT'S CORE MEMORIES THAT THEY HAVE EVERY YEAR WHEN THEY GO.
IT'S ALSO A CHANCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, OUR SWIM TEAM, BASEBALL, EVERYBODY COMES TOGETHER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR GROUP.
AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY.
AND I GREW UP HERE AND THOSE WERE THE MEMORIES THAT I HAVE.
AND SO, SO TO ME, I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS ATTEND THEM OR GO TO THEM OR USE THEM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT USING THEM.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT I DON'T USE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, SAME THING WITH THE DISCOVERY CENTER.
UM, I KNOW THE KIDS GO OVER THERE FOR FIELD TRIPS AND THEY, THERE'S A LOT OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAPPEN THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, SUMMER, UH, CAMP GROUPS THAT HAPPEN.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE AREN'T USING 'EM DOESN'T MEAN THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS USING THEM AND THEY ARE VALUED.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT USES IN DIFFERENT TIMES OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE A LOT OF THOUGHT AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RAISING THE TAX RATE.
I HAVE A MOTHER WHO IS ON A FIXED INCOME WHEN SHE IS SHORT.
I'M THE ONE THAT HAS TO PAY THE BILLS.
SO I KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE $10 TO ME IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY, $10 TO HER IS A LOT OF MONEY AND IT HITS ME IN THE POCKETBOOK.
SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE ARE NOT TAKING THIS LIGHTLY.
IT IS VERY, IT IS A HARD DECISION.
ALL THE EASY ANSWERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
WE, WE HAVE LOWERED, AGAIN, OUR, OUR INCREASES HAVE GONE UP, BUT WE'VE DONE WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE LIGHTLY AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW, IT IS GONNA COST US MORE MONEY DOWN THE LINE.
AND SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TIA AND DAVID.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO DISCUSS OR MAKE COMMENTS BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION? OKAY.
UM, I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 36 PROVIDING A
[00:40:01]
PROPERTY TAX RATE TO, UH, BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION RATE OF 0.85, WHICH IS AN EFFECTIVE RATE OF 8% TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.I KNOW IT'S NOT LISTED HERE, I'M JUST, WE RECALCULATED TO GET TO 8% AND MARIE JUST DID IT WHILE WE WERE TALKING.
POINT EIGHT FIVE, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE OF THE 8%.
I THINK IT'LL BE UNDER 8%, BUT, AND THAT KEEPS US UNDER THE 8%.
SO FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, UM, I KNOW WHY YOU CHOSE THAT AND I KNOW THAT WE NEED, WE DO NEED TO SAVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I JUST PERSONALLY WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE VR, THE 0.83.
UM, SINCE IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PUT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO THINK ABOUT AND LOOK AT.
UM, I THINK THAT COMES OUT TO, I THINK IT WAS ROUGHLY $10 A MONTH-ISH.
UM, SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, I THINK I WOULD BE LOOKING MORE AT THE VAR, UM, JUST BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PUT OUT THERE AND INFORMATION THAT THAT IS OUT THERE.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN.
UM, BUT I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE VR.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
WE'RE GONNA TO SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND.
YEAH, SO HOW WOULD I WOULD MAKE A COUNTER MOTION? OR DO WE JUST SEE IF THERE'S A VOTE? THERE'S NO ONCE THE MOTION'S, NO SECOND.
YOU WANT TO ANOTHER MOTION? OKAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SECOND.
IF THERE IS NO SECOND, THEN YOU'RE BACK TO SCORE ONE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR 0.0 0.85? THE MOTION FAILS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
UM, I MOVE OR A MOTION FOR THE 0.838.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 4 3 6 PROVIDING THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.8 3 8 7 2 2, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 6.02% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND KURT SECONDS? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I'LL NOW CALL UPON EACH COUNCIL MEMBER BY NAME TO TAKE THE RECORD.
VOTE ONCE YOUR NAME IS CALLED SAY AYE.
TO SIGNIFY YOUR APPROVAL OF THE MOTION OR NAY TO SIGNIFY YOUR DIS DISAPPROVAL COUNCIL MEMBER BAKER STATE YOUR VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MILLS STATE YOUR VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KISKI STATE YOUR VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MERTON, STATE YOUR VOTE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALDERMAN RICK STALEY IS ABSENT AND DID NOT VOTE.
MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.
CONDUCT A SEPARATE VOTE TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE 2024.
2025 MUNICIPAL BUDGET ADOPTED AUGUST 20TH, 2024 TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OF 6.02% REFLECTED IN THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
2025 ADOPTED ON AUGUST 20TH, 2024.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE MOTION.
DID WE ALREADY ESTABLISH IN THE BUDGET THAT THE SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE FROM ANY INCREASED TAX WILL GO TO INFRASTRUCTURE? DO WE HAVE A DESIGNATED EITHER FUND OR ACCOUNT? UH, THAT WAS THE UNDERSTANDING.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET THAT SAYS THAT WILL GO TO CAPITAL? WELL, TECHNICALLY NO.
BUT, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WHEN WE ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A FEW BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP.
UM, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN DESIGNATE THAT IN A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING THAT THE SURPLUS GO DIRECTLY INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE LINE ITEM.
UM, AS IT IS, IT JUST SHOWS AS A REVENUE.
AND SO THIS RATIFICATION BASICALLY SHOWS THAT REVENUE CHANGE ON THE TAX RATE.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO NEXT IS WE CAN SHOW THAT COME IN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE LEDGER AND GO INTO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LINE ITEM.
SO THE 200 AND WHATEVER THAT IS, UM, WE WILL IDENTIFY, UM, AS GOING INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT.
SO THIS IS REDUCING THE APPROVED BUDGET FROM 0.88 TO 0.83 AND THE REVENUE GENERATED BY IT.
SO WE'RE REDUCING THE OVERALL BUDGET.
SO THIS, THIS, THIS MAKES THE CHANGE ON THE REVENUE SIDE, RIGHT? OKAY.
YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, WE APPROVE THAT.
AND THE SLIDE THAT I HAVE AT THE, AT THE VAR AT THE 0.8 3 8 7 2 2, THERE SHOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 209,350
[00:45:01]
IN REVENUE.AND THIS IS ABOVE THE TWO 50 UP WE ALREADY HAVE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET THAT COULD GO TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO TWO 50 PLUS THE 2 0 9 3 50 WOULD BE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO, I GUESS MEMORIALIZE THAT IS HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM TO REFLECT THAT, THAT SHOWS THAT ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE BUDGET.
IS THAT THE BEST WAY YOU THINK? WE, WE DO IT AS A FUNDS TRANSFER TRANSFER OUT WITHIN, WITHIN THE, THE REVENUE.
SO IT'S KIND OF REVENUE IN REVENUE OUT.
SO BASICALLY WHEN WE POPULATE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LINE ITEM EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THE TWO 50 THAT WE HAVE IN BUILT INTO THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE'VE GOT ANYTHING THAT CAN BE BROUGHT IN AS A TRANSFER IN FROM EDC IF THEY CHOOSE TO BRING SOME MONEY IN WHICH WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND THEN THIS WOULD BE THAT THIRD SOURCE THAT WE COULD ALSO BRING IN AND ALL OF THAT TOGETHER WOULD GO INTO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LINE ITEM.
SO THAT CAN BE DONE IN A, A, A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT LATER.
WE WE WILL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT TOO.
I HAVE A HOW WE DO THAT AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL MOVE THAT.
WE RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
I'LL NOW CALL UPON EACH ALDERMAN BY NAME TO TAKE THE RECORD VOTE ONCE YOUR NAME IS CALLED ANSWER AYE.
TO SIGNIFY YOUR APPROVAL OF THE MOTION OR NAY TO SIGNIFY YOUR DISAPPROVAL.
ALDERMAN BAKER STATE YOUR VOTE.
ALDERMAN MILLS STATE YOUR VOTE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALDERMAN RICK STALEY IS ABSENT AND DID NOT VOTE WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING.