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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,November 17, 2014 <br /> Page 17 <br /> and sewer rates were still on the high side, that had not always been the case, with <br /> the gap widening after 2011, and when the CIP needs were cycled into the rate <br /> structure to address long-deferred infrastructure needs. Mr. Miller opined that he <br /> anticipated that gap to narrow in 2015, and continue to do so over the next five <br /> years as rates stabilize for the CIP, with no large increases foreseen in the near fu- <br /> ture. Mr. Miller opined that this may not be a realistic picture for those peer cities <br /> depending on if and how they address their infrastructure needs. <br /> Finance Director Miller briefly reviewed supplemental historical information pro- <br /> vided by staff after distribution of the agenda packet, and provided as bench <br /> handouts, and incorporated in the final staff report. At the request of Coun- <br /> cilmember McGehee, Mr. Miller noted the inclusion of staff's analysis for other <br /> CIP funding options via the tax levy versus water/sewer rates, and financial im- <br /> pacts for a typical single-family home under both scenarios. <br /> If using Option B, by financing capital replacement needs by using tax levy bonds <br /> as proposed by Councilmember McGehee, Councilmember Willmus asked Fi- <br /> nance Director Miller how he proposed capturing costs from non-profits or those <br /> with tax-exempt properties in Roseville. <br /> Finance Director Miller stated that he had no immediate answer to that dilemma, <br /> but recommended that if using that methodology, all non-profits or tax exempt <br /> properties be required in some way to pay their fair share unless waived by the <br /> City Council for some reason. <br /> At the request of Mayor Roe in identifying $3,398,000 as the amount needed an- <br /> nually for a tax levy, Finance Director Miller advised that the interest on those <br /> bonds over a term of fifteen years, if bonding were used, would be additional to <br /> the average annual need projected under Option B. <br /> Councilmember Etten observed that if moving to a partial tax based system, busi- <br /> nesses would also be charged, and with current median home value fluctuations, <br /> business owners of commercial properties would need to pick up that differential. <br /> Finance Director Miller concurred, noting that commercial properties pay higher <br /> tax rates than most residential properties; and if using this option, some of the <br /> burden would shift to them, generally representing a potential shift of 10%to 15% <br /> as part of the inherent design of the current property tax system. <br /> Councilmember McGehee provided her rationale in asking for this comparison, <br /> opining that it seemed unfair to her to tie the CIP needs to the base fee, especially <br /> for residents using under 10,000 gallons of water per quarter ($7.56), with those <br /> using over 50,000 gallons receiving a much smaller increase ($3.39), with many <br /> of those lower water consumptions in lower valued homes and lower water users, <br /> creating an unequal burden on them. If a uniform cost was applied across the <br /> board for taxpayers as part of bond issue and subsequent tax levy, Councilmem- <br /> ber McGehee opined that her thought had been that this would be a fairer plan for <br />