Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Mandan tax hike minimal

Mandan tax hike minimal

Oct 04, 2006 - 02:07:30 CDT

By GORDON WEIXEL
Bismarck Tribune

Mandan residents will see a slight increase in the city portion of their 2006 tax statement following commission approval of the 2007 budget on Tuesday.

On a $150,000 home, the city portion of the property tax bill will increase $12.04 over last year. This is accounted for through a modest 1.6 percent average increase in valuation.

Mayor Ken LaMont said that this year's budget "was a tough one," considering the requests coming in from the departments.

"You did a great job in attempting to find a happy medium; it wasn't easy," LaMont said.

The budget committee of LaMont, city finance director Greg Welch, city administrator Jim Neubauer and other department heads did make some changes to the preliminary budget presented last month.

The employees' committee had requested a 6 percent cost-of-living increase plus an additional 1 percent increase in the city's contribution to the pension fund. What was approved by the commission is a 4.5 percent salary increase and no increase in the city pension contribution. It was noted that through merit pay increases, an employee could see up to a 7.5 percent pay increase.

The city is looking to pick up a projected 15 percent increase in health insurance costs. Welch said that there has been no decision to cap the city share of the insurance, and the level of health insurance provided by the city is expected to stay the same.

"Health insurance is a sacred cow. It's one of the best offerings we have for city employees, and we have to keep it intact," LaMont said. "Each year, we have to look at the benefit package, and costs having been going up beyond belief."

The city also refused a request from police department officers for $50,000, which would have been used to begin a new retirement program with North Dakota PERS. Other cuts included $32,000 from capital improvements and a $50,000 transfer of funds to the fire equipment fund.

The 2007 total budget levy remained at 111.2 mills, the same as last year. General fund mills went from 94.07 for 2006 to 91.56 for 2007.

Two general fund mills were dedicated to paying of bonds, which will be sold to provide revenue for the city's portion of the new Liberty Memorial Bridge.

Welch said that the decision to sell bonds rather than to special-assess the city for the bridge was made to allow new properties coming into the community to pay their fair share of the bridge. A special assessment would have frozen the financing of debt service on existing property.

The budget does allow for transfer of $30,000 from the solid waste utility fund to the general fund to pay for 50 percent of the city's salary study.

This transfer won't be repaid. A further transfer of $230,000 will be transferred to the general fund from solid waste for capital outlay expenditures. This will be repaid over five years beginning in 2008.

Increased property values will provide $213,291 in funds over last year's total budget.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarck-tribune.com.)

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Comments

Common Sense? wrote on Oct 21, 2006 2:27 PM:

" I'm ready to move from Mandan. The town I called my own and grew up in. All of this development?... Where is that?... In the backyards of the city council members? The Mandan Police scare everyone out of town from Bismarck and the local community's. The downtown business's strugle as it is to make a living. Who else should we chase out? When Mandan has no residents left who will pay for the PD and the council? Guess they will move too. Sad Keep building new schools. That will bring residents here. Till they see their tax bill! "

Dale wrote on Oct 5, 2006 7:54 PM:

" Pretty soon this city is going to price me and many others out of home ownership. My wages have not gone up nearly enough to cover their residential tax hikes over the last three years. No wonder alot of people I know are moving out of Mandan. Why don't they use some of the 30 million dollars thy recieved from the BN lawsuit to cover these expenses. Stop buying junk buildings for way more money than they are worth and then tear them down. Maybe the Mayor and city commissioners make too much money and the tax hikes don't bother them. Can't wait to vote for their recall. "

Online Editor wrote on Oct 4, 2006 9:03 PM:

" To Mandan Res.: The position of this story is based on number of comments in the past seven days. The ten stories that have the most comments in the past seven days remain on the front. It is an automated process. "

Billy Bob wrote on Oct 4, 2006 8:54 PM:

" I think it needs to be said again for the folks who run Mandan....start attracting businesses other than low tax revenue dollar stores and such. 3 grand tax on a $130000 house is ridiculous. "

Mandan Res. wrote on Oct 4, 2006 8:40 PM:

" I would like the Trib to keep this thread on the main page, just to see where it goes. Seems like anything involving Mandan does not stay on the main page,why is that? with the election coming stories like this concerning Mandan should stay on the main page. trying to keep our police here is not somthing Mandan wants to deal with, they would rather make new high paying jobs like our buss. develoment directer,($100,000)MPO directer (40,000+). I am not saying these jobs are not needed just the pay looks like it is really high! could some of that money be given towards keeping our police here? "

ryanm424 wrote on Oct 4, 2006 5:33 PM:

" All the train whistles and dog poo in Bismarck is moving to the west side of the river, that's what's causing your tax increase! Because of this, I am founding the LTWDP (Less Train Whistles and Dog Poo) for Mandan. We must stop this madness before taxes are too high! "

insider wrote on Oct 4, 2006 3:35 PM:

" Wait a second bismarck tribune!! The "modest hike" is in mils. The example provided regarding the $150,000 house would be true if the house did not go up in value. But in reality every house will increase in assessed value this year. When the house value goes up then the net property tax will to. Your "modest hike" is more likely a 10% net increase in property taxes for most people!! "

crocker wrote on Oct 4, 2006 3:04 PM:

" Mandan was trying to even the playing field for its employees with salaries and found itself 8% behind the other cities in the state and them most of the Cities went and gave raises like Bismarck that posted 5%. They give 4.5% and now are only 8.5% behind. Good plan to keep your employees happy. 4.5% only keeps of with the cost of living for this years inflation, let alone close any gap for differences. "

toherb wrote on Oct 4, 2006 3:00 PM:

" I think it makes good sense. They are borrowing from funds that generate much more dollars and have continual inclome and make money to pay for other areas that get depleted. In doing that they draw down one to let one rest a bit and then pay it back as that smaller pot grows. Too bad it doesn't make taxes lower than higher, but i guess things need to get paid for and reserve limits need to be kept. By the way Mandan ranks 5th in taxes for the state not 1st and morton ranks 1st in taxes which drags us mandanites down. Just a fact for ya. "

City Employee wrote on Oct 4, 2006 12:27 PM:

" While it was "noted" that employees can receive more of a raise through merit increases, why is it never "noted" that a great number of employees are topped out and have been for years. These employees cannot get a merit increase. These are the employees who have been with the city the longest. What an incentive to stay! "

Mandan Resident wrote on Oct 4, 2006 8:59 AM:

" For the city with the highest taxes in the state, minimal continues to add up. Maybe, they should be looking at reducing costs. "

Herb wrote on Oct 4, 2006 7:43 AM:

" Now the city is robbing Peter to pay Paul. now let me explain they are going to borrow 230 thousand dollors from the landfill fund to the general fund. and repay over 5 years. So what do they do? they take 200 thousand bucks out of the City grouth fund and gave it to the state for their new builing which will not bring in any tax revenue. I just cant make any sense out of it. We need a change in city government. I know I will be voteing for the challangers in November "

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