09-13-2004 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION DATE: September 10,2004 ITEM NO: fQ ''fTirTllyjQ SEP 1 3 2004 CITY OF ORONO Department Approval: Name Ronald J. Moorse Title City Administrator Administrator Reviewed:Agenda Section: City Administrator ’s Report Item Description: Preliminary 2005 Budget and Tax Le>y Attachments: 1. Tax Levies—Actual 2004 vs. proposed 2005 2. Tax Capacity, Local Levy, and Tax Capacity Rates 3. Effect of 2005 Tax Levy on Property owners 4. Resolution Adopting the preliminary 2004 Tax Levy collectible in 2005 5. Resolution adopting the preliminary 2005 Budget Proposed 2005 Budget Tlie proposed 2005 budget reflects an effort to address a number of deferred needs, as well as to fund a number of special projects, while managing the impact of the tax levy on property owners. Go als of the 2005 Budget The following is an outline of the goals of the 2005 budget • To improve service delivery and customer service ■ To provide a sustained drug enforcement effort • To increase the City’s capacity to use information technology ■ To improv e the maintenance of the City’s infrastructure • To take advantage of the opportunity to re-think the design and function of current Highway 12, in preparation for the turnback of this roadway from the State to the County. ■ To begin to address long term public improvement needs Opportunity To Address Deferred Needs Over the past 10 years, the tax levy has been increasing at an average rate of 3.98% per year. This has been an important factor in enabling the city’s tax rate to remain one of the lowest in the County. Over the past several years, a number of priority needs have been identified. However, conservative caution regarding potential State budget problems, and then the actual unpacts of the State budget problems, including State Aid cuts and levy limits, have caused these needs to be deferred. The 2005 budget is the first opportunity the City has had to address the deferred needs, in order to have a substantial impact on the level and quality of services provided in the areas of Police, I-irc, Streets, Stormwater Management, Sewer, and Water, as well as substantially su^ngthening the City’s ability to use and manage technology to improve productivity and customer service.