“TARTA: Lower property bills, boost in service if voters approve sales tax” plus 3 more

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• TARTA: Lower property bills, boost in service if voters approve sales tax
• Property tax limit pushed
• EBR sheriff asks Baker’s help in property tax renewal vote
• Regina city council approves 4.0 per cent property tax increase

TARTA: Lower property bills, boost in service if voters approve sales tax Posted: 27 Apr 2010 10:04 PM PDT Property owners in nine communities who now foot the bill for more than half of TARTA's budget should pay significantly less if voters allow the agency to replace its property levies with a half-cent sales tax, even while the transit agency's revenue would grow significantly, according to an analysis the agency's top executive discussed last week with Sylvania City Council. The difference is that everyone who buys taxable goods in the transit district, which would expand to include all of Lucas County, would contribute toward funding the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority, instead of just those who own real estate, General Manager James Gee explained. Keith Haddad, the Sylvania council's president, said the plan, under which TARTA service would extend throughout Lucas County, provides "a unique opportunity" to offer service to residents and destinations where buses don't go now and improve services such as the suburban Call-A-Ride routes. Eliminating the 2.5 mills in property taxes that the transit authority now collects in Sylvania and eight other communities would help seniors and others on fixed incomes, while "people that spend more and have more" will contribute more with a sales tax, Mr. Haddad said. But under questioning from council, Mr. Gee said that if voters approve the sales tax on Nov. 2, there would be a period of overlap next year during which both taxes would be collected. Councilman Doug Haynam asked the transit chief if TARTA would consider waiving collection of at least part of its property tax during 2011 if that happens - perhaps one third - and Mr. Gee said he would study that possibility. Mr. Gee's presentation before Sylvania council was the first of several such appearances he has scheduled before the legislative bodies of TARTA member communities to explain the sales-tax plan and answer questions about it. He was scheduled to appear at a Perrysburg council committee meeting last night as well as a "committee of the whole" meeting there on May 5; in Ottawa Hills on May 3, and Spencer Township on May 6. The sales tax "appears to be a very good idea," Ottawa Hills Mayor Kevin Gilmore said last week after village council had a first reading of the proposal. "It's probably the more sensible way to go." Mr. Gee said he is open to appointments with other interested communities too. And based on the Sylvania Township Trustees' discussion of the proposal one night after their city council counterparts met, the TARTA manager can expect a request to attend a meeting there. "I am in total disagreement with anything TARTA wants to do, because of the total cost," said Kevin Haddad, a township trustee who is also Keith Haddad's brother and who cited the current $26.71 per rider that township taxpayers now contribute to the transit system - more than any other Lucas County TARTA member. But Carol Contrada, the trustees' chairman, said the sales tax plan struck her as "a step toward trying to fix TARTA" and that the transit authority at least deserved an opportunity to discuss it with them. "It would be great to have them here so we can ask questions," trustee John Jennewine agreed, after voicing skepticism about increasing the transit authority's total funding. Mr. Gee told city council that substituting the half-cent sales tax would increase TARTA's local revenue from about $18 million to about $25 million annually, but that increased funding would be used in part to pay for providing service throughout Lucas County, not just Toledo, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Waterville, Spencer Township, Ottawa Hills, and Maumee, plus Perrysburg and Rossford in Wood County. The revenue boost also would allow the transit authority to speed up vehicle replacements, Mr. Gee said. "Right now I'm delaying bus purchases because I don't have the local match" for federal grants that would pick up most of that tab, he said. For a sales tax to go on the Nov. 2 ballot, Lucas County first must become a transit authority member, and by state law that requires the consent of all existing TARTA members. Mr. Gee said he needs that consent, plus Lucas County's request to join, in hand in time for the TARTA board to submit a levy request by an Aug. 5 filing deadline. A letter to the current members requests their action by June 30. The proposed TARTA reorganization includes a provision that would allow communities outside Lucas County to join or leave essentially at will, which Mr. Gee conceded is a sweetener to persuade Perrysburg and Rossford to endorse the proposal even if they then choose not to participate in the sales-tax funding plan. Mr. Gee's data did not include any "per-rider" current tax outlay for Perrysburg or Rossford, but reported per-rider subsidies of $2.02 in Toledo, $4.65 in Spencer Township, $6.73 in Waterville, $11.52 in Maumee, and $11.71 in Sylvania city, and $15.22 in Ottawa Hills. TARTA's basic bus fare of $1 is among the lowest in Ohio, and it is the last major transit authority in the state to rely on a property tax for its local subsidy. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Property tax limit pushed Posted: 28 Apr 2010 12:42 AM PDT OKLAHOMA CITY — State Sen. Jim Reynolds renewed his call Tuesday for House Speaker Chris Benge to let a property tax measure be heard on the House floor. Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, is the sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 5, which would let Oklahomans vote on whether to reduce the rate of property valuation increases to 3 percent from 5 percent. Property values are used to determine property tax assessments. "The full Senate approved this measure over a year ago, but we're still waiting for the House to take action on SJR 5," Reynolds said. "This issue remains a top concern, not just in my district, but in communities throughout the state. The voters deserve the opportunity to decide this issue for themselves." Reynolds spoke at a Capitol news conference that he called. With him was Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan. In 1996, voters approved a 5 percent cap on increases in property value assessments. The intent was to keep valuations under that cap, but many county assessors have raised values the maximum of 5 percent a year, Reynolds said. He urged Oklahomans to call their representatives and ask that the measure be heard in the House. "Time is running out," he said. "This resolution is still alive." Benge, R-Tulsa, wouldn't say whether he would allow the House to address the bill. "If it were up to me, I would push for an income tax reduction this year, but unfortunately many of these options are not realistic given our current budget environment," he said in a statement. Barbara Hoberock (405) 528-2465 barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

EBR sheriff asks Baker’s help in property tax renewal vote Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:37 PM PDT BAKER — Sheriff Sid Gautreaux appeared before the City Council on Tuesday seeking support for voter renewal in Saturday's election of the 3.73-mill property tax first enacted in 1980 to help fund the Sheriff's Office. The tax raises about $12.3 million annually in Baker, accounting for 16.8 percent of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office annual budget of $74 million, Gautreaux said. If the tax fails, the sheriff said, he would have to cut manpower, patrols and other services provided to the parish. In other business, the council approved an ordinance transferring enforcement duties of the Baker Alcohol and Beverage Control Board to the Baker Police Department, the state Office of Alcoholic and Tobacco Control and the East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Also Tuesday, council members: Set a work session for May 10 to review annual budgets. Agreed that the city building inspector shall notify businesses if more parking is required and that all off-street parking must be paved within 90 days of notice. Learned Hank Highsmith of Lawton Publications of Spokane, Wash., is selling advertising space and developing a glossy membership directory for the Baker Chamber of Commerce. /news|92281024 Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Regina city council approves 4.0 per cent property tax increase Posted: 27 Apr 2010 10:27 PM PDT REGINA — Regina's city council approved a 4.0 per cent municipal property tax rate increase — or about $53 per year for the average homeowner — for 2010 during a special meeting on Tuesday, which was characterized by some surprises from individual councillors. That is 0.5 per cent lower than the originally proposed hike of 4.5 per cent. The difference is about $662,000. A surplus from last year of $2.9 million allowed the city to lower the increase, Mayor Pat Fiacco said. Technically, that surplus went into the general fund reserve. The city is taking the $662,000 from part of that reserve earmarked for a proposed new land development reserve. Overall, reserves are still in much better shape that they were in the past, Fiacco said. "Even the four per cent isn't enough (for the city's needs)," said Fiacco, during the meeting. "But I think it's more than enough for the taxpayers of this city ... To come in at a zero — we might be popular today if we do that, but we certainly won't be popular tomorrow ... We will be criticized today, but we'll be thanked tomorrow." He spoke to a need to find balance, and pointed out that reducing the increase from the proposed level has been a common practice done in many years in the past. This year's reduction from the proposed level means about $6.60 for the average homeowner. During the meeting, the provincial government was criticized for reneging on its promise to increase revenue sharing through the municipal operating grant (MOG) program. Councillors suggested that, if the promise had been kept, it would have made a big difference to the city's bottom line. The provincial government was also criticized for reducing funding for mosquito control. The city decided not to make up the difference, resulting in the city's mosquito control budget being cut almost in half. One of the night's surprises came from Coun. Louis Browne, who asked city corporate services general manager Brent Sjoberg to share calculations around the split of MOG funds between urban and rural areas. Sjoberg said $144 was provided per capita to Regina residents, while rural areas received $208 per capita. If the money had been split equally per capita, the difference for Regina would have been equivalent a four per cent mill rate hike. During the meeting, Browne called that a "double-whammy" on top of the broken promise. "These are very preliminary numbers," Browne said after the meeting. "But if in fact what is happening is that urban municipalities are not getting compensated the same per citizen as other municipalities ... that's a huge issue." "We've been hard on the province these last few months," Fiacco said after the meeting. But he noted the additional revenue sharing dollars would only help "a little bit." "The overall financial model for municipalities here in the 21st century is broken — no one, I think, can argue with that fact," he explained, noting that while the province can adjust many revenue streams, the city can only adjust property taxes and user fees. The night's other surprises came from councillors with suggestions on how to fix the system Fiacco described as broken. Coun. Mike O'Donnell said he would be bringing forward motions this year on potential new funding sources — noting Winnipeg gets a share of Manitoba's income tax and other cities have charges that visitors pay — and on budgeting on a multi-year basis instead of the current annual basis. He said Regina could be a "test case". "Let Regina be a chance to try some different things," he said. "I don't think we have anything to lose, but we potentially, as a community and as a province, have a lot to gain." O'Donnell also was the only councillor to oppose lowering the increase to 4.0 per cent. "A few dollars I don't think will make a whole lot of difference to any individual person," he said after the meeting. "But that amount of money would have made a difference to us as a community. In other words, would it have been another bus? Absolutely, for example, and a little bit more, but also another bus next year and the year after . . . I need to look long-term." The other idea came from Coun. Chris Szarka, who said he would bring forward a motion this year on introducing a base tax — though he later clarified it would be a "basic service package" where costs of fire, police, garbage and snow services are divided equally among households. Coun. Terry Hincks said he also favours such a move, noting some homeowners, in richer areas, pay $5,000 in property tax, while some in the inner city pay as low as $300. "I think it promotes equality," Szarka, who represents some residents of the city's northwest, said. "It does alleviate some of the tax burden that my ward faces." Fiacco noted a move to introduce a base tax was defeated in the past. He said he could not comment on whether he would support one now, noting circumstances are different. Asked about the impact on those least able to pay and the previous defeat, Szarka noted other councillors can vote on behalf of their wards as they see fit and he looks forward to the discussion. This week, Saskatoon's council approved a similar 3.86 per cent increase. On Tuesday, in addition to its operating budget, Regina's council also approved capital, library, police and business improvement district budgets. jcouture@leaderpost.canwest.com Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

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