07/20/2017 - Summary City of Tigard
- ° Tigard Levy and Bond Advisory Task Force
Meeting #1 Summary
MEETING DATE/TIME: Thursday,July 20, 2017; 6-8 p.m.
MEETING LOCATION: Town Hall Room (Council Chambers), City Hall
13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard OR 97223
Attendees
Task Force Staff
Angela Anastasakis (absent) Marty Wine
Jeff Croke (absent) Eric Zimmerman
Darlene Dick Kim McMillan
Mitch Friedman Kent Wyatt
Melody Graeber Sharon Gavin
Wayne Gross Toby LaFrance
Holly Koontz Jared Isaksen
Chris Middaugh Nic Westendorf
Alan Miles
Cathy Olson Consultant Support
Kate Rogers Libby Barg
Clifford Rone Casey Hagerman
Erin Scheller
Christopher Staggs
Carl Switzer (absent)
Robert Van Vlack
Jamie Watson
Task Force Questions and Comments
• What is the vision for the City of Tigard?
• What years are covered for the General Fund forecast?
• How do you determine how much the fees are?
• Confused by the where property tax goes.
• Is there a difference between residential and commercial property tax rate?
• What is a levy?
• Is there a reason why it can only be in place for five years?
• Will the levy work better if it is for a specific service as compared to general services?
• Cities with less residential—more urban development—have fewer problems with revenue?
• What if the levy doesn't pass?Does that mean there is an automatic cut in services?
• Rather than go out for a levy, can we fix the root of the problem at the state level?
• Won't raising the property tax make people not want to move here?
Tigard Levy and Bond Advisory Task Force—Meeting#1 Summary 1
• Are there ways to fix the problem by bringing in more industrial property?
• The City's strategic plans have aspirational goals for development. Does the revenue forecast
consider those aspirational revenues?
• Has Tigard done a levy before? If not,why not until now?
• I'm on the police Citizen Academy. The Police Station has been outgrown.
• City Council has cut staff and services in the past.
• Has the City done case studies to see how other cities have solved this problem?
• Are you sure the tax increase will cover everything or will you keep asking?
• Can we look at fees, too?
• What are the exact needs?
• Did you consider bringing something to the new City Hall site that would generate revenue?
• How successful are public/private partnerships?
• Is the Civic Center the only need?What about Public Works and the Library?
• How does the new Civic Center relate to the City's vision?
Funding & Services Initial Impressions
— I need more information about the City and its financial needs.
— What is the tax shortfall?What are the actual needs?
— Seems like there are a lot of balls in the air.What must be cover and what is "try to do"?
— Can we see where we have been in the past?
— How did we get here?
— Need the basics—what is the baseline need?What do we do versus other cities?
— What an amazing job has been done that it is in as good of shape as it is. I need more
information about the budget and shortfall. Also,what are the rule and regulations on property
tax?What are Tigard's demographics?
— What impact will River Terrace development have on revenues? People may think it is going to
bring in a lot of money.
— Living in Summerfield (55 and older),we are all on fixed incomes. Need to understand exactly
the ask and what we get. I need to know that to share it with my community.
— Was struck by how little property tax pays for. What about increasing other means?
— All homeowners are on a fixed budget. We love Tigard,but government always wants to tax you.
When does it stop?People get priced out of their homes. I want to know there has been
discussion of other options.
— I've been here a long time. It has become more livable every year.We need to look at the history,
where we are going to assess the real needs.
— What do we need to keep things livable?
Task Force Requests:
o Extend meeting time
o Provide Task Force roster
o Schedule a tour of the police facility this year
Tigard Levy and Bond Advisory Task Force—Meeting#1 Summary 2