[Vision2020] city taxes

Jerry L. Schutz jschutz@moscow.com
Mon, 28 Jul 2003 15:47:13 -0700


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Jon,

Reduced State Revenue, which also comes from my pocket means increased City
taxes?   The State shortfall was only about $60,000  The Council cut $78,
000 from the proposed budget by trimming spending on travel, a GPS system
for the sewer & water Dept, new Emergency Dispatch equipment for the Police,
and development of parkland.

Since the council was originally asked to increase taxes by 6.8% should we
thank you for only increasing by 3%?  According to the DN (accurate or
not(7/22))

               " ...The $35 million budget approved by the council is less
than was spent last year.  Spending in most departments is at current
levels. ...  City administrators had argued for the tax increase saying
Moscow was owed the money."

IF the shortfall was $60K, and the $35 Million budget is less than last
year, why did the City need to raise property taxes 3%?

 WHY is the City OWED the money?  Your quote from your V2020 post is:
    "I would note that prior to this year the City had taken a total of 10%
of the 24% available over the last 8 years."

Just because the City is allowed to raise taxes by 3% a year does not mean
that they should.  During Mayor Agidius' terms I remember far fewer
increases and pretty decent City services.  According to Steve Busch
Moscow's tax levy is increasing faster than the School District over the
past 5 years.

If the City can keep Departments at the same level as last year and NOT
increase spending in other areas, and trim more than the State shortfall,
does that mean that we don't actually need 2 Asst. City Supervisors?  Since
the Council cut the travel budget then they should have more staff time to
spend in house doing their jobs, maybe we could get by with just one?  Then
we could forego the 3% all together.

When business and the University are laying people off, and taxpayers can't
find living wage jobs I believe it is the government's job to keep pace with
the taxpayers.  Which means if WE have less money and have to live with it,
so should government.

Jerry L. Schutz


From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Jon Kimberling
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 12:47 PM
To: John Danahy; Vision2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] city tazes

I would note that prior to this year the City had taken a total of 10% of
the 24% available over the last 8 years.
  One of the reasons for the increase is that the City is receiving reduced
revenues from the State. Specifically, our revenues from the State including
state-share revenues, sales tax and highway user fees are all lagging. I'm
hopeful that last months positive revenue report from the State is the
beginning of a positive trend about the business climate within the state.

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003>Jon,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003>Reduced State=20
Revenue, which also comes from my pocket means increased City =
taxes?&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
The State shortfall was only about $60,000&nbsp;&nbsp;<SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003>The Council&nbsp;cut $78, 000 from the =
proposed budget=20
by&nbsp;trimming spending on travel, a GPS system for the =
sewer&nbsp;&amp; water=20
Dept,&nbsp;new Emergency Dispatch equipment for the Police, and =
development of=20
parkland.&nbsp;</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>Since =
the council=20
was originally asked to increase taxes by 6.8%&nbsp;should we thank you =
for only=20
increasing by 3%?&nbsp; According to the DN (accurate or not(7/22))=20
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"=20
...The $35 million budget approved by the council is less than was spent =
last=20
year.&nbsp; Spending in most departments is at current levels. ...&nbsp; =
City=20
administrators had argued for the tax increase saying Moscow =
was&nbsp;owed the=20
money."&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>IF the =
shortfall was=20
$60K, and the $35 Million budget is less than last year, why did the =
City need=20
to raise&nbsp;property taxes 3%?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003>&nbsp;WHY is the=20
City OWED the money?&nbsp; Your quote from your V2020 post is:=20
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
"I would note that prior to this year&nbsp;the City had taken a total of =
10% of=20
the 24% available over the last 8 years."&nbsp; </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>Just because the =
City is=20
allowed to raise taxes by 3% a year does not mean that they =
should.&nbsp; During=20
Mayor Agidius' terms I remember far fewer increases and pretty decent =
City=20
services.&nbsp; According to Steve Busch Moscow's tax levy is increasing =
faster=20
than the School District over the past 5 years.&nbsp; =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>If the =
City can keep=20
Departments at the same level as last year and NOT increase spending in =
other=20
areas, and trim more than the State shortfall, does that mean that we =
don't=20
actually need 2 Asst. City Supervisors?&nbsp;&nbsp;Since&nbsp;the=20
Council&nbsp;cut the travel budget then they should have more staff time =
to=20
spend in house doing their jobs, maybe we could get by with just =
one?&nbsp; Then=20
we could forego the 3% all together.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>When =
business and=20
the University are laying people off, and&nbsp;taxpayers can't find =
living wage=20
jobs I believe it is the government's job to keep pace with the =
taxpayers.&nbsp;=20
Which means if WE have less money and have to live with it, so should=20
government.&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D710232520-28072003>Jerry =
L.=20
Schutz</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003>&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003></SPAN></FONT><BR><B>From:</B>=20
vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On =
Behalf Of=20
</B>Jon Kimberling<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 28, 2003 12:47 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
John Danahy; Vision2020<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] city=20
tazes<BR><BR><FONT face=3DArial>I would note that prior to this =
year&nbsp;the City=20
had taken a total of 10% of the 24% available over the last 8=20
years.</FONT></FONT><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;<SPAN=20
class=3D710232520-28072003><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>&nbsp;</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial>One of the reasons for the =
increase is that=20
  the City is receiving reduced revenues from the State.=20
  Specifically,&nbsp;our&nbsp;revenues from the State including =
state-share=20
  revenues, sales tax&nbsp;and<FONT size=3D3> </FONT><FONT =
size=3D2>highway user=20
  fees are all lagging. I'm hopeful that last months positive revenue =
report=20
  from the State is the beginning of a positive trend about the business =
climate=20
  within the state.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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