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222 <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he supported funding for MACAA and <br />recommended that Council set up guidelines for the Social <br />Development Commission for use of Community Development BloCk <br />Grant funds in the future. <br /> <br /> Ms. Waters recommended funding for the Thomas Jefferson <br />Planning District Commission's'legislative ~iaison. <br /> <br /> Ms. Waters recommended funding the MuniciPal Band at the <br />level recommended by the City Manager, adding that the <br />funding request seemed to anticipate concerns in the future. <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe stated that he would abstain from voting on the <br />Municipal Band funding as he works with Mr~ Simmons. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he would favor increasing the <br />United Way Child Care Scholarships by an additional one-half <br />of the unfunded request. <br /> <br /> Council discussed other budget reductions recommended by <br />the City Manager and it was the consensus to maintain these. <br /> <br /> Ms. Waters recommended that the City employees receive <br />between a 4% and 4.5% increaSe on July 1st, <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he would prefer to look at job <br />classifications and whether those positions which are low <br />should be changed and then consider a salary adjustment of <br />4-4.5%. <br /> <br /> Ms. Linda Peacock, Budget Administrator, explained that <br />beginning July 2 the City's policy regarding job <br />reclassifications will.change so that job reclassifications <br />will not translate into salary increases. <br /> <br /> Ms. Waters proposed a 4.4% salary increase beginning <br />July 1st and the job reclassifications as recommended by the <br />City Manager. Mr. Buck stated that he would agree t° this <br /> proposal. <br /> <br /> Noting that $100,000 remained unbudgeted, Ms. Waters <br />stated that reductions in real estate~tax and personal <br />property tax would need to be offset with a cigarette tax. <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe stated that he felt the Council should give <br />strong consideration to not using a cigarette tax as major <br />funding may be necessary in the future for the Schools, solid <br />waste disposal or a parking garage and the cigarette tax is <br />the last new revenue available to the City. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he did not support a cigarette tax <br />because he felt it was a regressive tax and really more of a <br />sales tax. Mr. Buck added that he felt a Cigarette tax would <br />be unreliable and would likely decrease over time. Mr, Buck <br />stated that he felt it would be more prudent management to <br />reduce the real estate tax by 1 cent this year and attempt to <br />further reduce the rate next year. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever stated that he basically agreed with Mr. <br />Buck. <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe stated that he concurred with Mr. Buck <br />regarding the cigarette tax, but felt that CounCil should <br />look harder at cutting the budget. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that ~50,000 could be cut out of the <br />capital budget for lighting the tennis courts at Pen Park. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever noted that Council has not considered <br />cutting positions. <br /> <br />Rev. Edwards stated that he would want to see how <br /> <br /> <br />