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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/17/2010 - RESOLUTION 2010-057 IDENTIFYING CERTAIN PURPOSES F DATE: August 17, 2010 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY STAFF: Darin Atteberry FORT COLLINSCOUNCIL Resolution 2010-057 Identifying Certain Purposes for Which the Discretionary Portion of Revenues Derived from a Proposed .85% Increase in the City's Sales and Use Tax Rate Might Be Used. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On July 27,2010,City Council approved Resolution 2010-047 submitting a proposed 0.85%increase in the city's sales and use tax rate to the voters for their consideration on the November 2,2010 Election Ballot, The proposed increase is allocated to transportation, police, fire, parks and recreation, and other community priorities. Resolution 2010-058 provides additional details regarding the types of programs,activities and services which could be funded through the approximately $2.1 million in revenue provided by the 11% allocated to "other community priorities." Examples of these needs which the City Council could fund through the City's Budgeting for Outcomes process include economic health programs, neighborhood programs, environmental programs, cultural programs, and other critical internal services and support. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION The proposed tax increase includes the following provisions: • An increase of.85% (or 8.5 cents on a$10 purchase) • The additional revenue would be allocated in the following manner: 0 33%for street maintenance and repair 0 17%for other street and transportation needs 0 17% for police services 0 11% for fire services 0 11% for parks maintenance and recreation services; and 0 11% for other community priorities as determined by City Council. • The increase would commence January 1, 2011 and sunset after 10 years, ending at midnight on December 31, 2020. • The increase would yield an estimated $18.9 million in the first full year of collection Additionally,the ballot language requires the City Manager to report annually to City Council on how the revenues are used and the cost saving measures that were undertaken by the City each year. In continuing to communicate with community members regarding the proposed ballot measure,City Council and staff have received questions regarding the proposed uses for the funds reserved for "other community priorities as determined by City Council." While the original resolution does not provide details on the anticipated uses for these funds, Council expects to allocate these funds to high priority City needs identified by City Council in the annual Budgeting for Outcomes process. This portion of the sales and use tax revenue would provide approximately$2.1 million of new resources in the first year. The services which would receive allocated revenues based on the formula in Resolution 2010-047 include Transportation, Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation. In 2010,these programs account for 68%of the expenses in the City's General Fund. The remaining 32% portion of the General Fund includes such services as Economic Development, City Planning, Affordable Housing programs, Cultural Services, Development Review, Code Enforcement, Natural Resources programs,and citywide administrative costs. (The General Fund does not cover the various Utility Enterprise funds including Electric, Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater services.) This Resolution provides additional details regarding the types of programs, activities and services which could be funded through the approximately$2.1 million in revenue provided bythe 11%allocated to"other community priorities." Some examples of needs which the City Council could fund include: August 17, 2010 -2- ITEM 23 • Economic Health Programs: • assistance program for business retention and expansion; • financial/economic_support for clusters; • "systems improvements for development review and planning processes; • Foothills Mall and other midtown College corridor redevelopment; • support of the downtown area. • Neighborhood Programs: • Code compliance; • community mediation program; • various community partnerships (with entities such Colorado State University, the Poudre School District, Larimer County); • affordable housing programs. • Environmental Programs: • air quality; • recycling; • sustainability programs; • green building. • Critical Internal Services and Support: • technology infrastructure; • facility and vehicle maintenance; • administration and internal services such as Finance. FINANCIAL/ ECONOMIC IMPACTS A 0.85% increase in the City's sales tax rate, which would not apply to groceries or prescription drugs, will generate approximately$18.9 million in fiscal year2011 (January 1,2011 to December 31,2011). The 11%dedicated to"other community priorities'would provide approximately$2.1 million in revenue in the first year. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. PUBLIC OUTREACH No additional public outreach has been conducted since the July 27, 2010 City Council meeting. RESOLUTION 2010-057 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS IDENTIFYING CERTAIN PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE DISCRETIONARY PORTION OF REVENUES DERIVED FROM A PROPOSED .85% INCREASE IN THE CITY'S SALES AND USE TAX RATE MIGHT BE USED WHEREAS, on July 27, 2010,the City Council approved Resolution 2010-047 submitting to the registered electors of the City a proposed .85%increase in the City's sales and use tax rate on all non-exempt taxable items; and WHEREAS, if the proposed .85% tax rate increase is approved by the voters, the revenue derived from such tax rate increase would be used for the following purposes: 33% for street maintenance and repair; 17%for other street and transportation needs; 17%for Police Services; 11% for fire protection and other emergency services; 11%for parks maintenance and recreation services; and 11%for community priorities other than those listed above,as determined by the City Council; and WHEREAS,the City Council believes that it is necessary and in the best interests of the City that a portion of the revenues generated by the proposed tax rate increase be available to fund City services other than those specified above; and WHEREAS,it is also important that future City Councils have the discretion to use a portion of the revenues generated by the proposed tax rate increase for purposes that may not presently be foreseeable; and WHEREAS,the City Council wishes to identify certain needs of the City that would benefit from the portion of the revenues generated by the proposed tax rate increase that will be available for other community priorities. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the community needs for which this City Council could utilize the discretionary portion of the proposed .85% tax rate increase may include the following: • Economic Health Programs: • assistance program for business retention and expansion; • financial/economic support for clusters; • systems improvements for development review and planning processes; • Foothills Mall and other midtown College corridor redevelopment; • support of the downtown area. • Neighborhood Programs: • Code compliance; • community mediation program; • various community partnerships (with entities such Colorado State University, the Poudre School District, Latimer County); • affordable housing programs. • Environmental Programs: • air quality; • recycling; • sustainability programs; • green building. • Critical Internal Services and Support: • technology infrastructure; • facility and vehicle maintenance; • administration and internal services such as Finance. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 17th day of August A.D. 2010. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk