2021.08.10 WS Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Davitt discussed the overall General Fund Budget with the Council along with the estimated market value for the properties in New Brighton. She then described how the proposed tax levy would impact median value homeowners. Staff provided the Council with further information on how fiscal disparities are calculated and distributed. Further discussion ensued regarding the City's tax rate. Massopust stated he would like to receive concerns or feedback from the Council on the overall budget. Councilmember Allen asked how a steady rise in property taxes on apartment complexes has impacted rents over the past several years. He understood staff may not be able to answer this question right now, but asked staff to investigate this relationship. Councilmember Abdulle agreed this would be valuable information for the Council to have. Councilmember Allen thanked staff for putting together a comprehensive budget for the Council to consider. He appreciated the fact that public safety officers would be added given the eye on the future staff had. He wished the City was picking up more of the healthcare cost increases which has been done in the past. He stated he would support increases in the seasonal pay in order to make the City more competitive. He recommended City survey be considered for 2022, or 2021 even. He suggested the City plan to complete a survey every other year going forward, or every three years. Councilmember Abdulle stated he appreciated the detailed presentation staff had on the budget and the emphasis that was made on people, how the City values its people. He indicated he was concerned about the proposed increase, but commented it seems reasonable. He looked forward to hearing more for staff about how an increase in property taxes would impact renters. He explained he supported the use of interns within the finance and parks department. Councilmember Dunsworth commented this budget was not padded in any way. She stated she appreciated that because it would be easy to tie this budget to what residents were getting. She believed this was extremely important. She explained she supported the proposed staffing needs, especially when it came to public safety. She discussed how public safety was a depaitiuent that keeps the community together. She did not believe property values would be going up if it wasn't for public safety, along with the City's parks. She appreciated the fact that the City was back on track after COVID. She indicated the percentage increase bothered her, as it always does. She stated she would like to better understand how homes above the median value would be impacted by the proposed tax levy. She recommended staff tie into the budget the City's DEI initiatives to show the public the Council was looking at the budget through this lens. Councilmember Axberg discussed what the City was trying to accomplish through this budget. She believed the proposed budget was very prudent or reasonable and was doing all the right things. She commented further on how the proposed tax levy increase would impact homeowners. She stated an 8% increase translates into a 15% increase for taxpayers. She requested further information from staff on the healthcare payment split. She wanted to see the City remain competitive with how the City pays and compensates its employees. Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas indicated she has loved this discussion. She loved seeing how all the numbers work together. She appreciated the story being told by this budget and the plans the City hoped to accomplish. She explained she was pleased with this budget. She thanked staff for all of their efforts. She believed the story being told by this budget was that the City prioritized staffing models and making sure the City was working to maintain its team. She appreciated this being a priority. She explained she has done research and was learning that after the pandemic, companies were learning their most valuable asses was their employees.