CC_Minutes_2008_0728 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, July 28, 2008 Page 15 dio Station affiliated with Northwestern College, along with other apartment buildings. Ms. McGehee further opined that the College continued to encroach off-campus with continuing removal of properties from the City's tax base. Ms. McGee opined that the City needed to find a way to address these issues, whether through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) or other ways for the College to com- pensate the City for services provided. Mayor Klausing asked that City Attorney Anderson look into what options were available to the City for compensation of services rendered for tax exempt entities and properties, and to report back to the City Council at a future date. Mayor Klausing noted that the state and federal governments set policy on tax ex- empt status for certain uses. Ms. McGehee questioned whether Northwestern College was an educational or business use. Councilmember Pust noted that the City was still in discussions with Northwest- ern College regarding payments in lieu of taxes for infrastructure services, and that this was an additional discussion point. Mayor Klausing closed the Public Hearing at 7:42 p.m. Councilmember Roe sought confirmation from Finance Director Miller on the City's commercial tax base, which Mr. Miller estimated at $4.5 billion, with sig- nificant annual growth. Klausing moved, Pust seconded, adoption of Resolution No. 10645 entitled, "Resolution of the City Council of the City of Roseville, MN, Approving the Is- suance for Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority Revenue Bonds in a Maximum Aggregate Principal Amount of $9,000,000 for the Purposes of Fi- nancing and Refinancing the Costs of Acquisition, Construction, Improvement, Renovation and Equipping of Certain Facilities and Certain Other Matters relating Thereto." Councilmember Ihlan noted that the resolution before the City Council was to ap- prove Colorado Revenue Bonds, expressing her frustration that a government en- tity in Colorado was issuing revenue bonds to benefit Northwestern College, when it was located in Minnesota, further diminishing the City's tax base without consultation or prior consent of the City of Roseville. Councilmember Ihlan spoke in opposition to the motion; and strongly advocated that the City Council be more proactive in reducing its loss of tax revenues when public entities buy up private property, while continuing to incur additional infrastructure, program and service costs to the City.