Public Comment Input on 2016 Tax Levies and General Fund Budget and Adoption of Final Levies and Budgets

Purpose:  The city is required to hold a meeting where the city's budget and levy will be discussed and the public can give input.  The city is required to adopt a levy and certify to the county auditor by December 28, 2015. A budget/levy slide presentation will be provided that will outline the city's proposed 2016 levies and General Fund Budget. A brief recap of this presentation are as follows: 2016 Final Overall Levy: $9,971,075-reduction of $205,742 from September Preliminary levy of $10,176,817. Levy reduction factors:  Removing the full-time position requests of Drug Task Force Officer and Code Enforcement/Licensing Coordinator; line item reductions, health coverage changes and reduction of one additional full-color newsletter.  The final adopted levy in 2015 was $9,407,821.       Levy Components:  General Fund Levy:      $8,287,721 ($7,921,570 - Year 2015)                                        Debt Service Levies:   $1,609,736 ($1,369,807- Year 2015)                                        EDA Levy:                   $   73,618 ($116,444 - Year 2015) The levy increase from payable 2015 to payable 2016 is mostly attributed to the newly added debt service for fire station #2 and the first year financing of road reconstruction projects that included Garnet Street; a new full-time public works maintenance worker to start April 1, 2016; and other personnel costs related to COLAs, Step Increases, Pera, health insurance and election judges for election year.      2016 Final Tax Capacity Rate:  43.414% (42.590% - Year 2015)    2016 General Fund Budget:  $10,925,127 ($10,423,759 - Year 2015).    2016 EDA Budget:  $83,618 ($204,301 - Year 2015) All  EDA and General Fund documents are included together, as the EDA levy calculates into the total general levy calculation of the city and thus accounts for the several motions listed below.

At is regular meeting of September 8, 2015, City Council agreed upon December 8, 2015 at 7:00 PM to hold a public meeting on the 2016 levy and budget.  This date and time was printed on the proposed tax statements that were sent to each taxable property.

Option #1 - Motion for City Council to Adopt Resolutions #15-12-294 Adopting the 2015 Payable 2016 Municipal Tax Levies(General, EDA and Debt Service) in the amount of $9,971,075; Adopt Resolution #15-12-295 Adopting the 2016 General Fund Budget in the amount of $10,925,127 and Adopt Resolution #15-12-296 Adopting the 2016 EDA Budget in the amount of $83,618.

Option #2 - Motion for City Council to Adopt Resolutions as stated above in Option 1, but with the following modifications:________________

Option#3 - Motion for City Council to not adopt the attached resolutions.  If a final levy is not adopted it reverts back to the final levy of 2015 in the amount of $9,407,821.

The EDA levy supports the EDA budget and the General Levy supports the General Fund Budget and debt service.

Staff Recommends Option #1 as outlined above.

Motion to Adopt Resolution #15-12-294 Adopting the 2015, Payable 2016 Municipal Tax Levies (General, EDA and debt service) in the amount of $9,907,075

and

Motion to Adopt Resolution #15-12-295 Adopting the 2016 General Fund Budget in the amount of $10,925,127

and

Motion to Adopt Resolution #15-12-296 Adopting the 2016 EDA Budget in the amount of $83,618.