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From YouTube: Council Minute January 12
Description
In this episode of Council Minute Mayor Busse explains how a possible local option sales tax would work and provides a recap of a public safety meeting held Monday with leaders from across the state.
A
Hello
bloomington,
I'm
mayor
tim
bussey,
and
this
is
the
council
minute
for
the
week
of
january
10th.
On
monday
night,
the
city
council
continued
our
discussion
of
a
possible
local
option
sales
tax
here
in
bloomington.
As
always,
I
think
it's
helpful
to
start
with
a
bit
of
background
information,
a
local
option.
Sales
tax
is
pretty
much
what
it
sounds
like
it's
a
half
cent
added
to
sales
tax
charged
within
the
boundaries
of
a
city,
but
rather
than
that,
half
cent
going
to
the
state
of
minnesota
revenue
collected
through
a
local
option.
A
Sales
tax
stays
within
the
specific
city
where
it's
charged,
almost
80
units
of
government
in
minnesota
have
a
local
option:
sales
tax.
Here
in
the
metro,
the
list
includes
oakdale
west,
st
paul
excelsior,
rogers,
minneapolis
and
st
paul
in
greater
minnesota,
larger
regional
centers
like
duluth,
rochester
and
mankato.
They
all
collect
local
sales
taxes.
A
A
That
estimate
comes
from
the
center
for
community
vitality,
which
is
part
of
the
university
of
minnesota
extension
service
and
here's
the
interesting
part.
They
also
estimate
that,
given
the
size
and
the
strength
of
bloomington's,
retail
and
hospitality
industry,
75
percent
of
this
tax
would
be
paid
for
by
visitors
to
bloomington.
Bloomington
residents
would
account
for
25
percent
of
that
11
million
dollars,
so
11
million
dollars
generated
and
three
quarters
of
that
is
paid
by
visitors
or
non-bloomington
residents.
A
This
is
important
in
the
context
of
bloomington's
capital.
Investment
needs,
as
I've
discussed
in
the
past.
Many
of
our
physical
assets
in
bloomington
are
in
need
of
significant
investment
or
replacement
for
years.
One
of
the
top
priorities
of
city,
elected
officials
and
staff
and
residents
was
to
keep
property
taxes
as
low
as
possible.
It's
a
goal,
everyone
can
agree
on
and
bloomington
did
a
great
job
at
that
for
decades,
but
the
flip
side
was
an
underinvestment
in
some
of
our
physical
capital,
our
buildings
and
now
we're
at
a
point
where
significant
reinvestment
is
needed.
A
I'm
talking
about
our
fire
stations,
our
public
works
maintenance
facility,
creekside,
community
center
bloomington
ice
garden.
Our
public
health
building
and
more,
we
have
a
big
list
of
capital
projects
and
a
local
option.
Sales
tax
would
give
us
a
tool
to
shift
the
burden
for
improvements
to
these
facilities
that
really
add
to
our
quality
of
life
here
in
bloomington
off
of
bloomington
homeowners
and
on
to
a
much
broader
base
of
taxpayers
from
that
big
list
of
capital
projects,
work
that
needs
to
be
done.
A
City
staff
has
identified
four
projects
that
could
potentially
be
funded
through
a
local
option:
sales
tax.
The
list
includes
a
significant
renovation
of
the
bloomington
ice
garden,
including
a
new
roof,
a
new
refrigeration
system,
locker
room
improvements
and
other
amenities
at
a
cost
of
32
million
dollars,
a
new
community
health
and
wellness
center
to
replace
our
public
health
building
and
creekside
community
center
at
a
cost
of
70
million
dollars.
A
A
total
replacement
of
the
clubhouse
at
duan
golf
course,
as
well
as
extensive
course,
improvements
and
upgrades
at
a
cost
of
15
million
dollars
and
an
expansion
of
the
bloomington
center
for
the
arts.
That
would
add
a
concert
hall
at
a
cost
of
33
million
dollars.
One
very
important
requirement
for
any
project.
Being
considered
for
funding
through
a
local
option,
sales
tax
is
that
the
project
must
have
a
regional
impact.
A
The
projects
that
I
mentioned
certainly
fit
that
criteria.
Conversely,
a
local
fire
station
that
primarily
serves
the
city
of
bloomington
wouldn't
be
seen
as
having
a
regional
impact.
Now
beyond
the
regional
impact,
these
projects
would
benefit
bloomington
residents
and
would
create
or
enhance
our
centers
of
community.
A
The
11
million
dollars
generated
each
year
through
local
option
sales
tax
would
be
enough
to
pay
for
these
projects.
Those
are
big
price
tags,
so
city
staff
did
a
comparison
of
what
it
would
cost
to
pay
for
those
improvements
through
the
property
tax
levy
versus
paying
for
those
improvements
through
a
local
option.
Sales
tax,
the
property
tax
levy
option,
is
pretty
straightforward.
A
The
impact
of
local
launch
and
sales
tax
takes
a
little
bit
of
math.
If
eleven
million
dollars
is
collected
through
a
local
option,
sales
tax
and
25
percent
comes
from
bloomington
residents.
That's
about
2.75
million
dollars.
If
you
spread
that
across
our
38
000
households,
it
means
that
each
household
would
pay
72
dollars
of
additional
sales
tax
each
year.
Two
hundred
and
ten
dollars
versus
seventy
two
dollars
each
year.
For
these
four
major
city
facilities,
a
local
option.
A
Sales
tax
would
reduce
your
share
of
the
cost
to
replace
these
facilities
and
it
spreads
the
cost
across
the
whole
region
to
support
amenities
that
serve
the
whole
region.
I
mentioned
the
specific
steps
that
need
to
be
followed
on
all
of
this.
First,
the
council
would
need
to
pass
a
resolution
in
support
of
local
option
sales
tax
and
that
resolution
would
be
sent
to
the
state
legislative
tax
committees.
A
The
legislature
would
do
their
legislative
things
and
if
bloomington's
request
is
passed
as
part
of
the
final
tax
bill,
it
would
come
back
to
the
city
for
final
approval
by
you.
The
voters
residents
would
have
the
opportunity
to
vote
on
a
local
option
sales
tax
for
each
project
separately.
We'd-
probably
do
this.
During
this
year's
november
general
election,
the
reason
I'm
going
into
so
much
detail
here
is
that
the
council
will
be
considering
that
initial
resolution
on
monday
january
24th
we'll
be
taking
public
comment
at
that
council
meeting,
and
we
want
to
hear
from
you.
A
A
Additional
information
will
be
available
on
the
city's
website
soon
or,
if
you
have
questions
feel
free
to
give
me
a
call
or
call
any
member
of
the
city
council.
On
monday
of
this
week
I
was
part
of
a
group
of
mayors,
police
chiefs
and
city
staff
that
met
with
county
and
state
leaders
to
talk
about
issues
of
crime
in
the
metropolitan
area.
Specifically
the
recent
rise
in
vehicle
thefts
and
violent
carjackings.
A
A
A
A
We
also
agreed
that
if
the
perpetrator
is
a
repeat
offender,
the
need
for
aggressive
prosecution
is
an
absolute
must.
We
talked
about
the
need
to
revisit
bail
reform,
which,
in
recent
years,
has
relaxed
the
requirement
for
bail
in
some
offenses.
It's
an
important
program,
but
without
question.
If
a
violent
crime
is
committed,
the
criminal
should
stand
before
a
judge.
There
was
also
agreement
that,
in
cases
that
involve
juveniles,
accountability
and
supervision
are
only
the
start
if
we
don't
also
offer
intervention
and
follow-up
and
mental
health
services
and
chemical
dependency
counseling.
A
A
First,
the
need
for
continued
support
of
our
law
enforcement
officers
is
paramount
in
this
effort
and
second,
no
one
benefits
by
finger-pointing
or
by
thinking.
This
is
somebody
else's
problem.
My
colleague
and
friend
ron
case,
a
neighbor
mayor
in
eden.
Prairie
said
it
best.
This
is
not
suburban
versus
urban.
We
are
all
in
this
together.