1996 MIN MAR 05 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

resulted in a budget deficit. Having worked in utility billing, accounting department and now in risk management, she spoke on behalf of the City employees. She observed that the Utility Tax was of major concern for everyone. From her days in utility billing, she knew, through utility surveys, that the City's utility rates were down by 25%. She had attended a number of Council meetings and knew the major concerns of Council. She said she was a good employee and a hard worker and said there were a number of such employees in the City. She was interested in keeping her position and wished there was some way of bringing some other revenue to the City. If that could be accomplished, she would be glad to see it happen. In response to Mr. Anderson's statement, Mr. Fred Cordova said it did not matter if employees were residents but the fact that they worked for Colton and would get laid off was the issue. When Council was preparing the budget for 1994-95, and the positions were hinged on Council passing the budget, before the Utility Tax was in place, Council knew that the positions were incumbent upon the Utility Tax passing. He said he had a copy of the budget and had highlighted those positions. He asked if people hired with the Utility Tax would be fired without the Utility Tax. He suggested that Mr. Anderson obtain a copy of the budget and inform himself on the facts of the City of Colton. Mayor Fulp directed that when a speaker returned to the podium to address the same issue, that he/she be limited to one -minute. City Clerk Freeman responded that he had continued to time the speakers. Mr. J. C. Washington said, as a City Employee, it was a challenge in his particular position to increase the City revenue. He found this Council had made some tough decisions, based on the City's financial position --discovered the need to lay employees off, create furloughs and do different things to help the City's budget. Employees accepted the challenge, tightened their belts and helped shoulder the additional loads to assist the City in reaching its goals. He implored Council to use that same courage to keep the Utility Users Tax in place, which is essential for the success of the City, now and for the future. This action, he believed, would have a long-range effect. If the money was not there, he declared it would affect essential services such as fire and police. Mr. John Mitchell, Colton, recalled that the City Manager was asked if this would affect the employees and the answer was "No, it would not." He said the Utility Tax was set up to pay off past debt and some other things. He said in its first year it had been used for other things. Personally against the tax, Mr. Mitchell said that next year the Utility Tax would be used to pay off past debt; therefore, the argument failed that it was going to cost jobs. 10 MAR 0 5 1996