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<br /> <br />included this year for the Council’s consideration. He provided further comment on the comparable cities and <br />why each was selected by staff. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strub was pleased that the City had been able to hold the line on its expenses and was <br />proposing a levy that would only charge the median value homeowner $3.00 more per year than the taxes that <br />were paid in 2008. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg was in favor of the Council considering monument signs and place markers at the <br />various entrances into the City of New Brighton. She encouraged the Council to consider adding this into the <br />City’s budget in the future. She was pleased by the City’s redevelopment efforts and the decisions being made <br />regarding the City’s TIF districts. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen thanked staff for providing the Council with an easily readable financial document. <br /> <br />Councilmember Bauman asked if the Council supported the proposed tax levy. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg supported the proposed increase. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strub also supported the proposed increase. He believed the public required a high level of <br />public services and the proposed tax levy would meet those needs. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson asked Councilmember Bauman what changes or cuts she would like to see made to the budget. <br /> <br />Councilmember Bauman initially stated that it isn’t her job to come up with the cuts, but if she was given two <br />weeks alone with the budget she could come up with the cuts. Councilmember Bauman stated she would be <br />comfortable supporting a 2% tax levy increase. She suggested cuts could be made to police, fire and the <br />forester. She expressed frustration that more cuts were not being proposed. She did not support t he COLA <br />increases either. She was in favor of the Council providing staff with additional feedback on where the levy <br />should be set in order for additional cuts to be made. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen supported a 2% COLA. <br /> <br />Lotter thanked the Council for their input. He noted the preliminary levy would be addressed again on <br />September 13th. <br /> <br /> <br />Worksession adjourned at 6:37 pm <br /> <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Terri Haarstad <br />City Clerk <br />