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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, July 28, 2008 Page 14 a. Public Hearing and Adoption of a Resolution to Acknowledge the Expendi- ture of Tax-Exempt Funds for Northwestern College Finance Director Chris Miller briefly reviewed the request for the City to pledge their bond issuance authority to non-profit groups, as requested by Northwestern College, and for the required public hearing provisions. Mayor Klausing opened the Public Hearing at 7:35 p.m Councilmember Ihlan questioned whether it was Northwestern College's intent that the former Edina Realty building would become tax exempt upon acquisition by Northwestern College and through their proposed use of these funds. Doug Schroeder, Chief Financial Officer at Northwestern College Mr. Schroeder advised that the College had applied for tax exemption upon cur- rent tenants being relocated, anticipated on or around May 1, 2009. Councilmember Ihlan provided information on estimated taxes and subsequent impacts to the Roseville tax base based on her research of Ramsey County tax re- cords. Councilmember Pust clarified that Northwestern College had already purchased the building, currently used for commercial purposes, and that whether the City Council acted on tonight's request, once it was no longer used for commercial purposes, it could become tax exempt. Councilmember Pust further clarified that the City of Roseville had no jurisdiction on state and federal legislation identify- ing those properties that could apply for tax exempt status. Councilmember Ihlan suggested that a condition of future or ongoing land use ap- provals be that tax exempt status not be a given. City Attorney Anderson advised that, without further research, he could not comment on whether a land use application could include such a condition. Mayor Klausing clarified that this was not the issue currently before the City Council. Public Comment Tam McGehee, 77 Mid Oaks Lane Ms. McGehee had provided a bench handout, referenced earlier in tonight's meet- ing and addressing several issues on tonight's agenda (Northwestern College re- quest; Skating Center, Rainbow Foods, and Zoning Code changes). Ms. McGehee opined that the City had bent over backwards to accommodate campus expansion for the College, and in the past had "handed over" three apartment buildings on Snelling that are no longer in the City's tax base, in addi- tion to the loss of a restaurant and car dealership for construction of the KTIS Ra-