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City Manager's 2004 Budget Recommendations <br />IM-P VZ" k � 4 �� $ .o ti <br />.e City Council will not levy back 60 or any significant part of the <br />$700,000 annual loss in state funding. As you know, when the state cut <br />its funding for cities the state also passed a law allowing cities to "levy <br />bace to local taxpayers a portion of the amount of state funds that were <br />cut. Some cities are levying back. I am assuming, however, that the City <br />Council will not use the levy -back option because of your previously ex- <br />pressed desire to reduce City spending and not increase local tax bur - <br />dens, other than the new tax costs for the building bonds and the HRA. <br />The City Council will not develop any s'ni cant new 'it revenue sources, <br />other than approving normal inflationary or other cost -based increases in <br />water and sewer utility rates and in City fees. Some neighboring cities, <br />such as Kittle Canada, are looping seriously at creating a franchise fee on <br />certain utilities that operate in City rights -of -way. New Brighton created <br />such a franchise fee in 2001. other metro cities are increasing their city <br />fees to help make up for their loss in state funds. I am assuming, how - <br />ever, that the Roseville City Council will not create new revenue sources <br />because of your desire to reduce City spending and not place additional <br />burdens oil local utility ratepayers. <br />The City Council will not use City reserves indefinitely to make up for the <br />loss in state Ending. You have authorized the use of $660,000 in City re- <br />serves this year, 2003, to make up for the loss of state funding this year. <br />I am assuming, however, that the city Council will not use City reserves <br />indefinitely because that just delays the inevitable: Sooner or later we <br />must balance our budget in a structural way bar making current operat- <br />ing p <br />ing expenses match current operating revenues. In other words, we can't <br />gust beep spending our savings. <br />III. Principles <br />The principles I applied in developing the following cats are: <br />• The City's budget must be balanced. <br />• We must minimize the effects of budget cuts on the public <br />and especially children. Among many other things, minimiz- <br />ing the effects of budget cuts means: <br />o Cutting city programs and services first that are heav- <br />ily tax subsidized or don't attract widespread public n <br />participation or don't create widespread public impact. <br />Cutting these programs and services would occur be- <br />fore cutting services and programs that, by corn P ari- <br />3 <br />