Grand Island City Council Special Meeting - September 3, 2024: Budget and Tax Request Public Hearings
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Grand Island City Council Special Meeting - September 3, 2024: Budget and Tax Request Public Hearings
This special meeting of the Grand Island City Council was held on September 3, 2024, at 6:00 PM. The council held three public hearings regarding the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget, property tax requests, and a parking district tax request. No members of the public spoke during the hearings. The council heard presentations from Assistant City Administrator/CFO Patrick Brown, and the Mayor provided additional comments on the city's property tax record.
Public Hearings
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Public Hearing on FY2024-2025 Annual Single City Budget and Annual Appropriations Bill: Patrick Brown presented an overview. Estimated disbursements and transfers are 14.3% ($40.3 million) higher than the FY24 adopted budget, partly due to delayed capital purchases, supply chain issues, Good Life District disbursements, and a grants placeholder. All funds revenue projections increased 8.1% ($21.3 million) over FY24. Property valuations increased by $204 million (5.6%) over 2023. The city is requesting the same property tax ask as in FY23 and FY24: $12,207,540. This will decrease the mill levy to 0.261049. The CRA property tax ask is $798,990, a tax increase of $23,271, but still decreasing the mill levy to 0.017086. Total sales tax revenue forecast is $21.291 million, a 1.5% increase ($430,000) over FY24. Other general fund revenues account for $35.3 million. Transfers increase by $9.4 million due to moving general fund reserves to capital projects, including $2.3 million for ladder truck and $1.9 million for police vehicle storage and training facility. FTE requests include police sergeant, police lieutenant, fire captain, plumbing and mechanical inspector, and reclassifying an admin assistant from part-time to full-time. The capital improvement project summary is $84.6 million. No public comments were made. The hearing was closed.
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Public Hearing on FY2024-2025 General Property and Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Tax Request: Mr. Brown noted that the city is keeping the same tax ask of $12,889,471 (note: this figure appears to be the total from the city and CRA combined; the city ask is $12,207,540 and CRA ask is $798,990, totaling $13,006,530 per the presentation). Keeping the tax ask the same on increased valuations saves taxpayers approximately $682,000. The CRA tax ask increases by $23,271. The combined mill levy decreases. For a $200,000 home in 2024, city taxes alone would be $586.29; if the valuation does not increase, the tax would drop to $556.27. Mayor Steele then emphasized that the city has kept its property tax ask the same for six consecutive years, crediting the council and previous councils for being proactive and innovative in budgeting. No public comments were made. The hearing was closed.
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Public Hearing on FY2024-2025 Parking District #2 (Ramp) Tax Request: Mr. Brown presented the same tax ask of $9,090 as last year. The mill levy decreases from 0.012076 to 0.010470. No public comments were made. The hearing was closed.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken during this special meeting. The public hearings were held to receive input; no members of the public spoke. The council will consider related resolutions at a subsequent meeting (likely the next Tuesday).
- The Mayor highlighted the city's six-year record of keeping the property tax ask unchanged, stating this requires careful budgeting and innovation.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to our meeting. The date is September 3, 2024. The time is 6 p.m. This is an open meeting of the Grand Island City Council. The City of Grand Island abides by the Open Meetings Act in conducting business. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is displayed in the back of this room as required by state law. Please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. The City Clerk will now perform roll call. Councilmember Mendoza. Present. Councilmember Kacinski. Present. Councilmember Hazi. Present. Councilmember Sheard. Present. Councilmember Pollock. Present. Councilmember Fisky. Present. Council President Stelk. Present. Councilmember Nickerson. Present. Councilmember Lanfear. Happy to be here. Councilmember Conley. Present. And Mayor Steele. Present. Also present are Jill Grenier, the City Clerk. Patrick Brown, the Assistant City Administrator, CFO, Carrie Fisk, the City Attorney. Keith Kurtz, the Public Works Director, Director, and Matthew Gleason, the finance director. A sign-up sheet was available in the lobby for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items. If you did not sign up to speak on an agenda item, please come forward, state your name and the agenda topic topic on which you will be speaking. So we will continue with public hearing 5A. Public hearing on fiscal year 2024 to 2025 annual single city budget and annual appropriations bill. Good evening, Mr. Brown. Please present for us. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, Council. Tonight, uh, this is just an overview of the uh citywide budget. The fiscal 24-25 actual estimated disbursements and transfers is 14.3 percent or 40.3 million higher than fiscal year 24 adopted budget. Part of this is due to delayed capital purchases from fiscal year 24, uh, supply chain issues, good life district disbursements, and a grants placeholder uh to have appropriate appropriation authority. All funds revenue projections for fiscal year 25 increased 8.1 percent or 21.3 million over to 24 budget. Again, part of this is good life district funds. Moving into property tax, the 24 valuations for the city of Grand Island increased over uh 23 valuation by 204 million or 5.6 percent. The city is requesting the same property tax ask as was in fiscal year 23 and 24 of 12,000 or 12 million two hundred and seven thousand five hundred and forty dollars. This will decrease the mill levy to point two six one zero four nine.
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