HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 12-09 State turns down city's levy exception request REVIEW State turns
down city's
levyexception request
9O5byDec. 9, (COS--
by
Scott Carlson natives.Miller said he will report back at that it would save Maplewood the cost of
The Minnesota Department of Revenue the Dec.18 meeting with an update on the holding a tax referendum.
has turned down a request from budget. Councilman Donald Wiegert, however,
Maplewood to allow budgeting of its 1976 In October the council adopted a budget expressed reservations about ap-
police paramedic program as a special which exceeded its tax levy formula by proaching the legislature for special
exception to exceed the state tax levy some$48,000. City Attorney Donald Lais funding."I'd rather go with a referendum
limitation. and Maplewood Finance Director Donald because I don't know if our people would
That somber news was presented to the Ashworth-met with Art Roemer, State want to exceed the levy limit for
local council last Thursday night by Commissioner of Revenue, in seeking paramedics," he said.He added'that in
Maplewood Manager Michael Miller,who approval of the special exceptions to the recent months there has been talk of
is now in the process of trying to re-juggle state levy limit but found themselves in holding referendums for many things.
the city budget.The situation is somewhat disagreement with Roemer's in- Councilman Norman Anderson seemed
complicated since Maplewood in October terpretation of the law. partially in agreement with Wiegert.And
certified a levy to include$189,000 for the "We claim that it (the paramedic he said, "I think it (a referendum for
ambulance and police paramedic program) was statutorily mandated," paramedics) might pass."
program. Miller said. Mayor Robert Bruton suggested that
However, the complication can be But Miller credited Roemer in the city's problem was not of over-
cleared up,Miller said. "Ramsey county suggesting what the city might do to whelming magnitude since"it still occurs
has notified us that if you do not want to relieve its problem. "The department of to me that indeed we are providing police
continue the paramedic program they revenue has told us that if we wish to services and paramedic services"
will take the$189,000 off the tax levy,"he leave it (the $189,000) and go for a because of what Maplewood authorized
told the councilmen. referendum that we can take the money for 1975. He mentioned that the city has
But at least two of the councilmen — as it's collected and put it in escrow," gone into the program with six less people
John Greavu and Norman Anderson — Miller said. than it has authorized for the 1976 budget.
urged Miller to consider other alter- Another alternative would be to seek Bruton felt there was an urgency for the
special funding through a bill in the council to decide what course of action to
Minnesota legislature, Miller added take at the meeting since "Dick Schaller
"If a referendum didn't carry or you (director of public safety)intends to have
didn't get special legislation, then that offers (for the new officers) in by Dec.
amount would be subtracted from the 15."
taxes we could levy (the following budget But Miller responded, "I can't
year), Miller continued. authorize any hiring without budget and
The denial for the special tax levy at this point I don't have budget because
exception has caused Maplewood to the budget goes specifically for
reassess whether it can afford to buy paramedics and the paramedics' ex-
some parks maintenance trucks and ception has been turned down."
whether it should purchase a telemetry He concluded, "I don't intend to hire
radio for the paramedic program. anybody until I have an authorized
Greavu, who said he would hate to see program."
the paramedic program dropped,
suggested that the city investigate
whether it can charge a per capita tax for
police and fire protection.
But Lais said, "The statute says you
can levy for physical improvements."But
"I can't see how in the devil they'd let you
get away with that one," he added.
Miller said, "I do know the law allows
for assessing some basic services like
street maintenance." The city manager
said he would check out any other
possibility for Maplewood to increase its
ability to raise more monies.
But he warned the council that the state
levy probably prohibits"us from going on
an overall assessment for the whole
town."
Miller personally felt that an attempt at
special funding through the legislature
would be the best alternative. He added