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Council reviews levy certification, discusses whether to seek larger voter-approved levy
Summary
Council confirmed a 1% levy certification permitted by state law and debated whether to pursue a larger levy through a public vote; members noted 1% yields roughly $3,500 and that certain ballot measures require a 60% approval threshold.
Speaker 5 confirmed the council submitted a 1% levy certification allowed by state law, which Speaker 1 said equates to "just slightly over $3,500 this year." Speaker 3 and others raised the prospect of asking voters for a larger levy (an 11% figure was mentioned), but attendees expressed concern about asking residents for large increases given the city's small tax base.
Separately, speakers discussed a fire department levy and a separate "lid lift" proposal that could affect city collections. Speaker 2 clarified approval rules for ballot measures described in the conversation, saying the relevant requirement was "60% of last year's total vote," explaining how many votes would be needed in a typical turnout scenario.
No formal motion to place a larger levy before voters was made at the meeting. Council members said they are not prepared to seek a major tax increase at this time but left the topic open for future consideration, noting staff can provide more exact revenue impacts if the council asks for a ballot measure.
