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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPUBLIC HEARING - 2019-10-02 - ANNUAL BUDGET FY 2020 CITY OF LIVONIA PUBLIC HEARING Minutes of Meeting Held on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 ______________________________________________________________________ A Public Hearing of the Council of the City of Livonia was held at the City Hall Auditorium on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. MEMBERS PRESENT: Laura Toy, President Jim Jolly, Vice President Scott Bahr Brian Meakin Kathleen McIntyre Cathy White MEMBERS ABSENT: Brandon Kritzman OTHERS PRESENT: Mike Slater, Director of Finance Mark Taormina, Director of Economic Development Todd Zilincik, City Engineer Leo Neville, Assistant City Attorney Sara Kasprowicz, Recording Secretary The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:02 p.m. with President Laura Toy presiding. This is a Public Hearing relative to the Proposed Budget for the City of Livonia for the Fiscal Year ending November 30, 2020, and the property tax millage proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget. (CR 297-19). This and will also be heard at the October 21, 2019 Regular Meeting. The Public Hearing is now open. There were twenty-nine people in the audience. Toy: Mr. Slater. Slater: Good evening, Council. As you’re aware, we’ve already had two, significant meetings regarding the City Budget. The first being held on thth August 19 and the second being held on September 25 so I don’t plan on recreating those meetings and going through all the items we went through. From a Public Hearing perspective, really, the intent of this is to hear from the public and that’s the most important thing. Just a couple of items to note, as we discussed, the total General Fund is balanced with both revenues and expenditures up about 2.7%. Regarding the tax rates, we are proposing a reduction of just over a half a mil., and the City tax rate to reduction the refuse millage and the final budget is scheduled to be 2 st adopted at the Regular Council meeting October 21, and I’d be happy to answer any questions. Toy: Thank you very much. Council? Any questions for Mr. Slater? Yes, Councilwoman McIntyre. McIntyre: Mr. Slater, thank you. If you have it with you, could you please give us the millage, the proposed millage? Slater: So, the proposed millage rate, in total, this is all of the different millages, add up to 13.3510 mils. McIntyre: Madam Toy, if I could just make a comment please? Toy: Sure. McIntyre: I think it’s important to know that the Public Hearing, and I’m sure many nd people know this, that this will leave us right around where we are the 2 lowest millage rate of all 34 cities in Wayne County and I think currently, Romulus is the only city that’s a little bit lower than we are. The other thing to note, is that this means that your City taxes actually are going down next year. On Facebook, we always see a lot discussion from people that, different taxes, a millage increase was just approved for the school district, but when you look at your tax bill and you compare your tax bill for this year and next year, what it means is that your City taxes will actually be slightly lower than they are this year with no reduction of services or amenities. Thank you. Toy: Thank you. McIntyre: Thank you, Mr. Slater. Bahr: Madam President? Toy: Yes, please. Bahr: If I could slightly correct one thing, and Kathleen knows this, we can’t guarantee your taxes are going down, your tax rates are going down. Our property values are increasing, so if after hearing that, if you see your tax bills going higher, it’s not because she was lying to you, she’s telling the truth but it’s your tax rate that’s going down, which is a good thing. McIntyre: I appreciate the correction, so in other words, if your taxable value is increased, you could still have an increase if that off sets the reduction in your tax rate, but next year’s tax rate is lower than this year’s, with no 3 reduction in services or amenities offered to you by the City. So, thank you, Mr. Bahr, an important correction. Toy: The good news is, we still get to pay them. So, is there any direction that the Council would like to take at this point or any other comments? Meakin: We need comments from the audience first. Toy: I will, true, true. Ok. We’re going to ask and go to the audience and anyone wishing to comment on item 1, please come forward to the mic to my left or to my right. Meakin: Madam President? Toy: Yes, go ahead. Meakin: I’ll offer an approving resolution. Toy: Ok, we have an approving resolution. Bahr: Yes, I have no problem with an approving resolution, but a little bit of housekeeping. From the Chair to Mike Slater, I know there were a number of things we discussed at the meeting last week and a lot of the things we discussed don’t really affect any changes in the budget, more so as to how we handle it as the year goes on, but was one small thing. There was thing on the Wilson Barn item being on there twice. Has that been corrected? Slater: The answer to both parts of your question. There were a number of items where we were going to provide follow up information to City Council. I was out of the office until this evening, all week, this week, so I haven’t had time to do that, but that will be forthcoming. More of the answers that will see in there is that Council’s sharp eye did catch that that was in their twice, that is correct and what we’re going to propose is not a change in the budget amount, but reprogramming those dollars that are in a 401 to a different Capital item that was deleted from the list that was from the DPW. Bahr: Ok, thanks, I appreciate that. Toy: Certainly. This will go on the next Regular Meeting approved, which we st have 1 approving on October 21 as we mentioned. Anyone else before we leave this item. Hearing and seeing no one, I will close that item. As there were no further questions or comments, the Public Hearing was declared closed at 7:08 p.m.