<div dir="ltr"><div>OK, that said what is Lamar and Bettage's position on the tax increase?</div><div><br></div><div>g</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Aug 16, 2014 at 10:11 AM, Tom Hansen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div>No, Mr. Dredge.</div><div><br></div><div>People have a right to know what their city council is doing.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Stick 'round, though. This is only the beginning.</div><div><br></div><div>FYI, Mr. Dredge . . . </div><div><br></div><div>Tom Lamar and Art Bettge are NOT of the "same political stripe" as Walter Steed, Wayne Krauss, Dan Carscallen, and John Weber. Thank God!</div>
<div><br><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div>
<div><a style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)" href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" target="_blank"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"> </span></div>
<div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br>
</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"There's room at the top they are telling you still.</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,</span></div>
<div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">- John Lennon</span></div>
<div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"> </span></div></div><div><br>On Aug 16, 2014, at 9:57 AM, Scott Dredge <<a href="mailto:scooterd408@hotmail.com" target="_blank">scooterd408@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<div dir="ltr"><pre><DELETE></pre>Jus' a suggestion, Mr. Hansen, if you should EVER disagree with the opinion and political stripe of those on the Moscow city council. OK???<br><br><div><hr>From: <a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a><br>
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 09:35:16 -0700<br>To: <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>Subject: [Vision2020] Moscow residents could see 11 percent tax hike<br><br><div><span></span></div>
<div><div><span></span></div><div><div>Ah, yes. Welcome to Moscow . . . home of stagnant wages and increased taxes, courtesy of Mayor Bill Lambert and council members Walter Steed, Wayne Krauss, Dan Carscallen, Art Bettge, Tom Lamar, and John Weber.</div>
<div><br></div><div>They certainly didn't have this much trouble increasing their cell-phone stipend, huh?</div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of today's (August 16, 2014) Lewiston Tribune.</div><div><br></div><div>
------------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><h1 style="padding:0px;line-height:34px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:30px;font-weight:400;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="padding:0px;color:rgb(204,0,0);line-height:38px;font-family:TiresiasInfofontRegular,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Moscow residents could see 11 percent tax hike</span></h1>
<p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">MOSCOW - Moscow residents could see an 11 percent hike in their property taxes next year if the city's proposed budget is approved Monday.</span></p>
<p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The latest version of the proposed $59.7 million 2015 budget includes collection of about $371,000 in foregone property taxes, plus an allowed annual 3 percent bump in the property tax levy. Moscow Finance Director Don Palmer said about $216,000 was added to the total foregone amount this month to cover the city's share in the cost to realign the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport runway. The airport project could approach $90 million, but would be funded primarily with federal money.</span></p>
<div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Councilor Walter Steed said Friday that he is not a fan of increasing or taking foregone property taxes, but is unsure of any other way to fill the budget's gaps.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">A public hearing on the budget is scheduled during the city council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in Moscow City Hall. The council will consider approval of the proposed budget following the hearing.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Steed said he would really like to have Moscow residents attend the public hearing to provide the council with feedback on the proposed budget before it is approved.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Of the total proposed foregone amount - or property taxes from previous years when a 3 percent increase wasn't taken by the city - $216,705 would go to the runway realignment and $154,365 would be to replace federal funding for two police officer positions. The police positions have been funded for the past three years with a federal Community Oriented Policing Services grant.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">State law allows municipalities to take up to a 3 percent increase in property taxes each year. This year's proposed 3 percent annual hike would generate about $139,000 and - when combined with the proposed hike of approximately 8 percent in foregone taxes - would be about a $55 annual increase in tax payments for owners of a $200,000 home.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Palmer said the proposed budget was adjusted earlier this month to represent the total foregone property tax increase of 8.25 percent. He said the proposed foregone amount would result in about $100,000 in unused taxes remaining that the city could go back and collect on at any time.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Steed said increasing the foregone taxes collected was the only option in funding the runway realignment that was presented to the council - something he said a lot of people feel is necessary. He also didn't know how else the city could continue to fund the two police officer positions without the foregone taxes.</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"These are the options that were presented to us," Steed said. "I am unaware of any other options. I'm not particularly happy with the plan, but am unsure of how to achieve the goal other than with what has been presented."</span></p>
</div><div style="padding:0px"><p style="padding:0px;background-image:none"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The city's next budget year begins Oct. 1.</span></p></div></div><div><br></div><div>------------------------------------<br>
<br><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"Moscow Cares"</span></div>
<div><a style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)" href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" target="_blank"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"> </span></div>
<div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div><br>=======================================================
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