HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 10-27 1977 budget approved with mill rate down THE REVIEW 1977 budgàtapproved
with mill
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On Oct. 5, the Maplewood City Council spend more in 1977 to pay for rent on their considering the realistic needs of the city,
approved an$8.9 million budget for 1977. vehicles and contribute to the new fund. I think it's a good budget."
Although this figure represents an ap- The amount recieved from the depart- He said the decrease in the mill rate and
proximate $3 million increase over the ments will be approximately $1 million. increase in operating funds represents
1976 budget, the mill rate will decrease The remaining difference of$2 million greater amounts of state and federal
from 19.381 to 18.757. City Finance is accounted for in the city's plan to funds as well as increased revenue from
Director Daniel Faust said,"I can't tell at refinance a temporary bond issue sold new residents and businesses in
this time whether taxes will go down three years ago.It plans to refinance the Maplewood. Faust noted that, "State aid
because we don't know how much will be unpaid issue by making it a permanant has been increased by $120,000 and the
assessed for school and county taxes." bond issue. assessable property value has increased
The budget represents a change in Mayor Robert Bruton said, "Generally, six and one-half percent."
accounting procedure to create additional I support the budget. I think it is Bruton said he was disappointed that
monies for the new Vehicle and Main- misleading when it is presented in its the council did not authorize the
tenance Fund. The city will be charging simplistic form. It implies a higher in- requested associate planner position.The
each department rent on its municipal cremental expenditure than is really the funds were left in the budget for future
vehicles ha order to set aside a cash case. In reality, the increase in ex authorization but the council was split
reserve for future replacement. This penditure is only about 50 percent of what concerning the necessity of the position.
means that all city departments will it appears.Given this understanding,and (Councilman Burton Murdock was not
present.)
"We have been directed by the
Metropolitan Council to complete the
Capitol Improvement Program which
requires municipalities to work out their
planning in logical phasing over a five
year period. This program includes a
street study which has not been com-
pleted. We can't improve a street one
year and then go back the next and say we
are going to tear up that street to improve
the sewer system. I am disappointed the
council voted to delay this problem." the
mayor said.
Community Development Director Bob
Reed commented, "We do need the
transportation study and we will have to
get one done in the very near future,to be
able to do this,we need additional help."
Several council members felt that the
study was not needed and did not want to
see Maplewood conduct an unnecessary
study only because it was directed to, by
the Metropolitan Council.
The council voted to approve additional
personnel in the following departniiits:
one and one-half in public works,one-half
in park maintenance, one in recreation
and one assistant fire marshall. It also
approved an additional lieutenent position
and cut a sargent from the police
department. The City of Maplewood
employs approximately 100 people in full
time positions at present.