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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, December 21, 2009 Page 22 13. Public Hearings 14. Business Items (Action Items) a. Adopt a Resolution Approving the 2010 HRA Tax Levy A worksheet representing the 2010 proposed HRA Budget was provided as a bench handout. Mr. Miller advised that the HRA was affirming their preliminary request pre- sented on September 14, 2009; with their recommendations remaining the same. Pust moved, Roe seconded, adoption of Resolution No. 10775 entitled, "A Reso- lution Submitting the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, in and for the City of Roseville, Special Property Tax Levy on Real Estate to the Ramsey County Auditor for the Fiscal Year of 2010;" in the amount of $353,500. Councilmember Ihlan spoke in opposition to the motion; opining that this repre- sents a 32% increase from 2009 for the HRA, and without the 5% property value reduction was closer to 38%. Councilmember Ihlan opined that the HRA contin- ued to grow annually by double-digit increases; and for the same reasons it was wrong to increase the General Fund tax levy, the same rationale applied in greater force to the HRA, with programs that could be maintained without any levy in- crease at all. Mayor Klausing, specific to the HRA and the burden on taxpayers, noted that he had heard several times this evening the notion of burdening taxpayers; and opined that all taxes are burdens; but if the City was to think long-term, that bur- den should be shouldered fairly and the City Council and taxpayers should take their responsibilities to not unfairly shift those burdens to future taxpayers by al- lowing significant deficits and allow the City to take care of its housing stock. Mayor Klausing recognized the significant work done by the HRA in code en- forcement and housing program assistance; and their current review of rental housing, to help the community in the long-run to retain its housing stock and with increased property values and decreased maintenance costs. Mayor Klausing noted that, while talking about percentages to justify rationale, the proposed in- crease to the average home in Roseville for the HRA Levy is $4 annually. Councilmember Pust concurred with Mayor Klausing; however, noted that she was very conscious of the burden on taxpayers, and while taking her job seriously to minimize that burden to the extent possible, opined that this minimal increase is worth every penny to taxpayers given the work done by the HRA in neighbor- hoods, the Living Green Expo, investing in affordable housing, and survey of multi-family housing for future policy decisions of the City Council.