|
||||
| Council moves closer to setting budget and tax rates |
|
The Magnolia City Council is moving closer to finalizing its budget and tax rate for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
At an Aug. 4 special meeting, the Council went over the preliminary budget, making adjustments and discussing proposed changes. The current tax rate, which is currently at .4914 cents, may be different next year due to property appraisals, which have been given higher evaluations this year. Those increases have produced more protests by residents, said Beverly Standley, City of Magnolia financial clerk. The numbers will change as the budget meetings continue, but as of now, the projected income is $2,486,286, which includes property and sales tax revenue, franchise fees, licenses, permits and sign permit revenue. The projected budget is $2,497,416.03. Police Chief Paul Michna addressed the Council during the meeting, reading over a wish list for the police department. Among the items he suggested was more money to accommodate his staff’s salaries and discussed the possibility of buying new or used patrol cars. The red light camera traffic ticket system the Council approved in June will not be installed for at least another 90 days, Michna told the Council, but added that when it is up and running, the City should see hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in revenue. Michna also said that the police department had applied for and received grants, one of which is not an easy one to obtain, he said. The department received a “Click it or Ticket” grant in the amount of $4,000 that can be used for safety equipment, but is not available to be used until Oct. 1. The City’s budget calendar includes four more dates in August and September, with Sept. 29 being the final public hearing date that a new tax rate and 2009-10 budget will be officially adopted.
According to the calendar, the Council will discuss the budget and tax rate “if needed” at the Aug. 11 regular meeting, and if the proposed tax rate “will exceed the rollback rate or the effective tax rate (whichever is lower), the Council will take a vote and schedule a public hearing.”
Comments (16)
...
written by vivian whitley, August 10, 2009
doesn't mean he's going to get it. I gues we have to wait and see what the budget decisions are.
...
written by exposed, August 12, 2009
At an Aug. 4 special meeting, the special people went over the preliminary budget, making adjustments and discussing proposed changes.
Adjustments and proposed changes, is this for this years budget that we have no clue about or for the up and coming budget. Are we finally going to tighten our belts. Do we know anymore than we did a month ago?
...
written by CitizenCane, August 12, 2009
Are the same people there that were there a month ago?
Are the same people there that were there during last year's budget of which the audit revealed a negative balance of $126k? If they are, then odds are that you will not know more than you did a month ago or a year ago.
...
written by vivian whitley, August 12, 2009
Last public hearing is Sept 29, good time to ask these questions. Those not going to the public hearings shoudn't be casting stones. Nows a good time to get involved by doing more than just talking.
...
written by vivian whitley, August 12, 2009
There are public hearings before all of these budgets are finalized. Have you been to any of them?
...
written by exposed, August 13, 2009
Five councilmember’s and a City Manager, I have yet to see anything on the agenda about amending this year’s budget, yet we are a negative 126k. Has this year’s budget been amended and if so when and by whom? Suggestions, honest open government, we don’t need any more hidden agendas.
...
written by vivian whitley, August 13, 2009
This year is almost over, next years budget is the place to make changes. So are you going to the public hearings to make your opinion known? There are four more days you can do this. Sounds like an honest open government that will invite you in to hear your opinion. If no one goes, they have to a*sume everyone's ok and will make deciions based on that. So if you don't participate, don't complain.
...
written by magexposed, August 13, 2009
You are right no changes for this year’s budget that we know of, like citizen cane said the odds are against us. If there were ANY CHANGES it has to be put on the agenda, no one councilperson(s) has the right to amend the budget (moving money around) without it being put on the agenda for all council to vote on and citizens to see. That’s not open honest government unless; do you think this year’s budget was never amended? But the belt is being tightened.
...
written by CitizenCane, August 14, 2009
Public Hearings are a requirement. Look in the legal sections of most papers, you will find many such hearing notices. It is not as if Magnolia is inviting the public out of the goodness of their little hearts.
If the deficit of $126k was created by property taxes as the council would like the public to believe then why is the property tax rate remaining the same in the new budget? If the Police department are going to get salary increases and more cars how does that help the deficit? What about water and sewer rate increases as Mr. Kelley mentioned a few meetings back? How much more do we have to pay for water? We are paying the higest rates around now, are we going to have to pay more?
...
written by exposed, August 16, 2009
I guess we are at the mercy of those that are unable or are unwilling to stick to the budget yet they hold the purse strings. With the high utility rates, an over paid police department, look at the other departments the size of Magnolia's how can the special people justify the salaries being paid? There should be no crime in Magnolia. This council and Mayor voted to increase the pay per the last City Manager another poor decision. And now the Chief just like the last Chief is counting the money before it comes in, with the red light camera's that are constitutionally questionable. The police department is not suppose to be a money maker for a City they are to uphold and keep the peace!
...
written by vivian whitley, August 17, 2009
Are you just going to cry in the newpaper and hope that someone else is going to take care of it? How many of you went to a public hearing? Did you voice your opinion? Is it true that the owner of this newspaper left the city hall shaking her fist and saying she was going to get all of them? Is this why you're digging so hard to get something on everyone there? Is this why Holly Dutton is working so hard to get city hall documents? Weren't all of you once a*sociated with the city of Magnolia? Weren't you either fired or quit? Sounds like the rumblings of sour grapes. Why don't you move on? Seems like a bad idea to sit and go over it again and again?
...
written by vivian whitley, August 17, 2009
Thanks for the lecture citizen cane. I'm aware. Still the question remains. Do you go to these required public meetings?
...
written by CitizenCane, August 17, 2009
If I attend meetings is that going to repair the city's financial problems? Does my attendance erase the negative balances? What impact does my attendance really have on the current financial status?
...
written by vivian whitley, August 18, 2009
Blogging in the newspaper is better? What's that doing to help. Get involved in positive ways to make positive changes
... written by Shirleyan, August 18, 2009
Montgomery County Animal Shelter should be ashammed. I adopted a 4 month old Lab/mix puppy on 8-17-09. He had been there since 7-28-09. I took the puppy to the vet this morning for shots and check up. The puppy is SICK. He may have distemper, couold be kennel cough. I guess we will know in three days or so if he is still alive. He is eat up with hookworms and tape worms. Where is the money going when people adopt or donate? I have paperwork saying this puppy was wormed and given shots. WHEN?? I could see how this could happen if they had not had the puppy for very long, but they had him for 3 weeks and still thouhgt that he was a female. The kennel card I was given says the puppy is a female. HE HAS A WINKIE!! Clearly a BOY!! Who is looking after or hiring these people. Someone needs to look into this matter and see why these puppies are not being vaccinated. I asked the genleman feeding the animals if the puppy was sick and he said "no" The young woman that took my payment said "She is just shy" SHE!! Anyway they were both wrong. How long have they been working with animals? Shouldn't they know when one is sick before they send home with your loving children and others pets?
Thanks,
Write comment
You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
|
|||
| Last Updated ( Monday, 10 August 2009 08:21 ) |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
_______________________________________________________
________
The city is in the negative, but salary increases and vehicle purchases are ok?