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<br /> 31 <br /> Mr. Lynch asked about the possibility of just having a few Sunday routes, such as <br />Route 7 and the trolley. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said departmental budgets are being evaluated and reductions will <br />result in service reductions. He said some programs bring in matching funds and that <br />needs to be analyzed. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said that staff is beginning to consider some changes in the capital <br />improvements budget. He said he thinks the current proposals are more ambitious than <br />we can afford. <br /> <br /> Ms. Leslie Beauregard, Budget Manager, said that CIP funding from the general <br />fund has been reduced to level funding, and funding for the City Market and mall <br />renovations has been reduced. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said one question being considered is whether to put funding for <br />sidewalks and paving in the CIP or general fund. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said that some things in the budget are legal financial obligations, <br />such as debt service, and others are good financial practices. He said that the fund <br />balance is again proposed to be at 12%. <br /> <br />nd <br /> Mr. Lynch said one question is whether we want to spend the money to do the 2 <br />Street project in this year’s budget. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said we need to take a closer look at funding in the CIP for fire <br />stations. <br /> <br /> Ms. Beauregard reviewed revenues. She said that due to the valuation change, <br />personal property revenues are expected to increase $500,000, plus 3% due to an increase <br />in assessments. She said we do not have much information on the State’s share, but it <br />will be a fixed amount, not a percentage. She said this will not be known until March, <br />but it is estimated that we will lose $150,000. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling asked for more information about the personal property assessments <br />and about where the numbers are coming from. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said that the budget guideline of reducing real property taxes by <br />two cents is what is used for these revenue estimates. He said that a more complete <br />report will be sent to Council, but that there is an overall increase of over 15.89% in <br />assessments. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown asked if new construction includes remodeling. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling said that given these numbers he would like to see us go higher than <br />the two cent decrease. He said we have to do something about these increases. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch agreed and said he thinks we need to keep the real increase to single <br />digits. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown suggested that Council come back to that issue. <br /> <br /> Ms. Beauregard said sales and use taxes are expected to increase $775,000. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling asked where these increases are coming from. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said that the economy is up and this revenue was under estimated last <br />year. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling said he would like an idea of where success is coming from and not <br />coming from. <br /> <br />