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49 <br /> <br />Follow-Up on Capital Budget <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell said that the changes made by Council in the Capital Budget at the <br />last work session leave a deficit of $585,414. Mr. O'Connell said that the <br />undergrounding utilities account equals this amount and could be reduced. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he would support leaving $150,000 in the undergrounding utilities <br />account and finding the additional $150,000 elsewhere. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said it is hard to believe that the undergrounding utilities account <br />will be built back up if it is used now. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati raised the issue of reducing the fund balance, and Mr. O'Connell <br />said it is not good policy to reduce this balance during the budget process. <br /> <br />Mr. Caravati proposed leaving $100,000 in the undergrounding utilities account. <br /> <br /> Councilors agreed to this proposal and to moving $484,000 to the Central City <br />Redevelopment Fund. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he likes the idea of taking the $250,000 proposed for the <br />Quality Community Council (QCC) and spreading it out over 3 years, $150,000 the first <br />year, and $50,000 the following two years, which he feels would give it a stronger <br />foundation. <br /> <br />Mr. O'Connell said that this gets at the continuity issue. <br /> <br /> Ms. Rochelle Small-Toney, Assistant City Ivlanager, said she thinks that could <br />work, but she will have to go back and evaluate it and report back at the March 28th work <br />session. <br /> <br /> Councilors supported the three-year proposal for QCC. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox recommended that the name of the Central City Redevelopment Fund be <br />changed to the Central City Strategic Fund. <br /> <br />Tax and Rent Relief Programs <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell said that the income level for the Tax and Rent Relief Programs <br />could be increased to $25,000 at a cost of $40,000, which could be taken out of Council <br />reserve. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lee Richards, Commissioner of Revenue, noted that the increased cost will <br />be primarily for those with disabilities. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano recommended that the income levels be increased in phases, and <br />proposed that it be increased to $25,000 this year and that Council review it again next <br />year. <br /> <br />Councilors agreed with this proposal. <br /> <br />Agencies <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell recommended that City and County staff sit- down with the SPCA <br />and look at their request as an item for next year's budget. Mr. O'Connell noted that the <br />SPCA requested $250,000 this year and $500,000 next year out of the capital budget. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox questioned why the City has been requested to pay the same amount for <br />capital costs since the County uses the facility more. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano said that the SPCA may have a good case, but he does not think that <br />that it can be solved this year as all the options need to be explored. Mr. Toscano favored <br /> <br /> <br />