[MissoulaGov] Fringe taxpayers

[ERIN TURNER JON TURNER]

I understand your concern for fringe residents using services in the city and not paying taxes.  But one should be careful of those accusations, because many of us own commercial property in the city and pay substantial taxes for that property.  And please keep in mind these taxes are without representation...we are not allowed to vote in the city even though we own property there. Our understanding from OPG is that the commercial tax base is what makes the city run.  So, please don't accuse of us of taking advantage of services and not paying for them.  Many of us, pay more than our fair share of your city taxes.  Plus, the city of Missoula is dependent on the fringe residents and beyond for retail activity.  I would hate the notion that the city is not welcoming to non-city residents and would decline their spending dollars.  Since you brought it up, would you mind providing a list of the services which we use and don't pay for?  It would helpful to know.  Finally, I think is unfair for city and county taxpayers for the City to have uncontiguous annexed parcels well over a mile outside the city limits which creates many new and unneccessary economic burdens for city and county.  
 

> From: missoulagov-request at cmslists.com

> Subject: MissoulaGov Digest, Vol 39, Issue 5

> To: missoulagov at cmslists.com

> Date: Thu, 7 May 2009 12:00:05 -0600

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> Today's Topics:

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> 1. committee update 5-6-09 (Bob Jaffe)

> 

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> 

> Message: 1

> Date: Wed, 6 May 2009 22:27:05 -0600

> From: "Bob Jaffe" <BJaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us>

> Subject: [MissoulaGov] committee update 5-6-09

> To: <missoulagov at cmslists.com>

> Message-ID:

> <689D48B33023A5469751A46A44C5A7A30D425B63 at mailserver.ci.missoula.mt.us>

> 

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> 

> Greetings,

> 

> This morning in Conservation we learned about an agreement the parks

> department had put together with developer Kevin Mitty regarding the

> park in the 44 ranch subdivision. Kevin wants to go ahead and build the

> improvements in the park and get reimbursed later as the city collects

> impact fees. The estimated costs for the project are just over

> $1,000,000. In the end the city will only have to pay him back around

> $410,000. It's a great deal for the city. I imagine Kevin's motivation

> is that his development will be more sellable with a finished park

> instead of a weed field. 44 Ranch is a very vertical project in that

> Kevin Mitty developed the property, built all the houses, and now is

> doing the city park improvements. It's kind of like John Didell at

> Pleasantview except Kevin is working with us for parks instead of suing

> us to avoid them.

> 

> 

> 

> In PAZ we had the dreaded Chickasaw subdivision return. This was the

> painful project out on seventh just past Tower. We had required a three

> acre Agriculture set aside and a connecting road which required the

> whole thing to get redesigned. We approved it conditional on staff and

> the developer bringing something back to us that met all the various

> conditions we were after. They did this today and it was pretty straight

> forward. There were still a few concerns including traffic calming for

> the someday connection to the north and how storm water was being

> handled with the shallow aquifer. The Community Food and Agriculture

> Coalition didn't like the shape of the resulting agriculture parcel so

> they requested we deny the project. I get this image of the terraced

> farms cut into steep hillsides when they say killing the project is

> better than farmland that isn't a perfect rectangle. We will finish this

> one up next week.

> 

> 

> 

> In A&F we discussed the parking garage planned for Front and Pattee.

> There are still a lot of unknowns. It will be at least 300 spaces and

> some retail along front street. If there is enough money it will be 600

> spaces. The downtown plan calls for 600 spaces so there is some concern

> of what the implications are to the rest of the analysis in the plan if

> we only build it to half size. On the other hand I have some concerns

> over the idea of induced demand. We know that if we build a road bigger

> more people will drive on it. I imagine if we make parking easier

> downtown more people will choose to drive there. That's fine if you are

> talking about customers but not so good if you are talking about

> employees. I guess I would like to see us build the bigger structure and

> then allocate as much as can be used for short term parking and charge a

> lot for the leased spaces to encourage commuters to develop other

> habits.

> 

> 

> 

> In public works we had some disagreement over approving the Mayor's

> choice to replace Tom Wilkins with Ginny Iverson on the parking

> commission board. The motion stalled on a tie and will be forwarded to

> the floor with no recommendation. 

> 

> We also agreed to accept a bunch of stimulus money for the north Higgins

> street project, a project to build a whole bunch of handicap sidewalk

> ramps around town, and the sidewalk project connecting Spruce to

> Greenough. Some of us were expecting a fight from the more republican

> sorts over the evils of stimulus money but no one had any complaints

> today.

> 

> 

> 

> In COW we heard a report from the lobbyist we hired to work the session

> for us in Helena. If you would like to see the written report it can be

> found here:

> 

> ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Packets/Council/2009/2009-05-04/Referrals/Le

> gRptCOWRef.pdf

> 

> 

> 

> Thanks for your interest,

> 

> 

> 

> Bob Jaffe

> 

> Missoula City Council, Ward 3

> 

> bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us <mailto:bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us> 

> 

> 406-728-1052

> 

> 

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