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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-05-1971 SMMINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL 7:30 P.M., Tuesday, October 5, 1971 Council Chambers, Municipal Building Meeting No. 71 - 40 CALL TO ORDER A special meeting of the Village Council of Maplewood, Minnesota was held in the Council Chambers, Municipal Building and was called to order at 8:17 P.M. by Mayor Axdahl. Lester G. Axdahl, Mayor Present John C. Greavu, Councilman Present Harald L. Haugan, Councilman Present Patricia L. Olson, Councilwoman Present Donald J. Wiegert, Councilman Present C. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. 1972 Budget a. Mayor Axdahl convened the meeting for a public hearing regarding the 1972 Village Budget. b. Manager Miller stated that the Fire Relief fund is included in the General Fund for the 1972 Budget. Previously it has been a separate item. There is a proposed increase of 0.29 mill over the 1971 Budget. One mill is approximately $29,900.00. c. Manager Miller reviewed the major expenditures that are requested in the budget. Added in at this time is the utility expenditures. The Village's bill'from the.Metropolitan Sewer Board has been increased by $53,560.00 over the 1971 bill. d. Manager Miller presented Council copies of "The Proposed 1972 Budget in Brief" and reviewed same in detail. e. Following further discussion regarding the moniesr °alloted for studies, Councilwoman Olson moved that Council receive proposals for the scope of any study for reveiw before contracts are given, and this includes all phases, water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, recreation, etc. Seconded by Councilman Greavu. Ayes - all. f. Councilwoman Olson move and introduced the followin 71 - 10 - 212 TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR OF SAID COUNTY: the 1972 Budget as Dresented I, the undersigned clerk of aforesaid Village, do hereby certify that - 1 - 10/5 I have compared the following copy of resolution of the said Village council with the original thereof which is on file in my office, and that the same is a true and correct copy of said original and of the whole thereof, to wit: "RESOLVED That the following sums be, and hereby are, levied upon the taxable property in the Village of Maplewood, State of Minnesota, for the tax year 1972, for the following purposes, to wit: For General Village Purposes $865,585.00 For Debt Redemption 239,700.00 Dated this 8th day of October, 1971. Lucille E. Aurelius Clerk Seconded by Councilman Wiegert. Ayes - all. D. PRESENTATIONS 1. Manager Miller presented a petition signed by the residents in the Stanich Highlands area opposing the proposed improvements. A public hearing on the Stanich Highlands improvements is scheduled for October 14, 1971. An infor- mational meeting was held in the Gladstone Fire Department this evening re- garding these improvements. 2. Following further discussion regarding the proposed resolution in support of State assumption of the major share of Education and Welfare costs as a means of affording lasting property tax relief and retaining the property tax as a means of supporting local services, Councilman Wiegert introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: 71 - 10 - 213 WHEREAS, the power to tax and spend directly affects the decision - making power exercised at each level of government WHEREAS decision - making power gravitates toward those units of government which have taxing and spending authority and away from those which do not WHEREAS, the council of the Village of Maplewood, Minnesota believes the combination of property tax limitations and a freeze on state financial aids to local units of government will destroy the present state /local decision - making balance WHEREAS, municipal officials have been more conservative in increasing municipal expenditures than any other group of public officials in Minnesota WHEREAS, the legislative process if already overburdened with local bills and any reduction of decision - making powers on the local level will increase the number of bills of a local nature above the 40% of 6,000 bills introduced - 2 - 10/5 in the 1971 session greatly increasing the cost of the legislative session WHEREAS use of the Consumer 2ric,e Index as an index of inflation in any tax limitation legislation will have the effect of forcing a continuing re- duction in local services WHEREAS, a reduction in services does not greatly affect the tax bill of citizens, but a reduction is greatly noticeable to citizens WHEREAS, the Village Council of Maplewood, Minnesota believes that while citizens want property taxes lowered they do not want municipal services reduced NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village Council of Maplewood, Minn- esota that the council: 1. Believes that there is historic and legal justification in the state assuming responsibility for support of public education and /or welfare 2. Believes that the desire of the legislature to afford substantial and lasting property tax relief can be best achieved by a state assump- tion of a major share of the costs of education and /or welfare. 3. Views as essential the preservation of some reasonable balance be- tween local and state decision - making responsibilities regarding taxing and spending. 4. Believes that a shift in the tax burden should recognize ability of taxpayers to pay and that htere should be a relationship between the source of the tax and services provided. 5. Believes that Maplewood should not be subject to arbitrary levy limitations. 6. Rejects the use of the Consumer's Price Index as a means of measuring the cost of providing local services on the grounds that the CPI measures increases in the costs of items which are not important elements in municipal budgets and does not measure salaries and wages which make up more than half of municipal expenditures. 7. Views as essential the replacement by alternative sources of revenue of the funds now derived from per capita and personal property reimburse- ment payments if part of all of these funds should be eliminated as part of a new tax bill. 8. Opposes any freeze of per capita and personal property reimbursement payments. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The Village Manager is directed to furnish certified copies of this resoltuion to Senator Hughes and Representative Boland, to all members of the House and Senate Tax Committees, to Governor Anderson, to the Ramsey County League of Municipalities, and to the League of Minnesota Municipalities and to the press. - 3 - 10/5 Seconded by Councilman Haugan. Ayes - all. 3. Mayor Axdahl read a letter from the Maplewood Human Relations Commission expressing their appreciation for Council's action regarding Highway 36. 4. Councilwoman Olson requested that all reports, tapes, (December 1970 and January 1971) and. the scope of study given to the engineering firm and all factors regarding the Gervais Avenue Corridor Study be given to the Council before the "Shirt Sleeve" session, October 18, 1971. Also to be discussed at the session is the reconsideration of the subdivision plat resolution. E. ADJOURNMENT 9:50 P.M. Ci Clerk - 4 - 10/5