[0:04] I've got a couple of people who pre registered Sally and Bill, I'm assuming? Looking to speak tonight or are you just observing? Okay, sounds good. So Sally and Bill, as your only speakers tonight, we'll give you the full 10 min. We don't let people go beyond 10 min, but we leave that 10 min just in case somebody else will walk in at the end, so. [0:24] Sally, you're up 1st. Thanks. So I informed the city that I plan to speak at the 16 December of the session. I plan to ask again about police surveillance. [0:39] The city manager responded and the response included. I tried early honor my time here to understand your perspective and bring an open mind to the concerns that you raised. Question for the city manager. I began speaking at the beginning of the year. [0:56] I noted that restore the nine spoke around that time too, specifically 12 February 2024. Yes or NO? Do you understand the perspective and the concerns they raise? Do you understand their perspective? [1:12] You know, they're here almost a year. Do you understand their perspective? Would you like me to answer mr. mayork? Please mr. Verbroodie. Yes. If the city passes plans for the area. [1:27] And the residents note that the construction does not align with the plans and they come back to the listening sessions. Would you understand why they came back? I think miss Netts, you're in hypotheticals. Yes, definitely. Hypotheticals. Yeah, you know, there, there's a plan on the table. [1:47] They, you guys, you know, they seem to understand the plan on the table, but then it changes. They notice that it's different and they come back. I mean, would that be a negative or you'd go, oh, I understand why they're back. Let me figure that out. Let me understand their perspective. [2:04] Or would you be negative about it? You know, like why are you back? And they're like, well, the plans changed, so we're back. Would you understand why they were back or that would be? Can you are speaking in hypothetical Sally and I'll move on. Probably helped to I'll move on for the discussion here. Okay, for instance. [2:22] If the plans did not include a birm, and the residents noted debris from Moier Park parking lot being buried on site and they wanted it addressed, would you understand their perspective and the concerns they raised? [2:37] I mean, would it make sense to see them back in here if the parking lot was being destroyed and they plopped it on Moyer Park and they put debris there and then dirt on top of it? Would that be understandable or would you be like, Why are they here? I don't understand their perspective. [2:57] Makes NO sense. Okay, I don't expect any answer. I'll just keep going. For instance, if this construction was happening before 7aM. And they wanted it addressed, would you understand their perspective and the concerns they raised? For instance. [3:14] If the plans were for specific trails and residents noted additional trails being constructed and they wanted it addressed, would you understand their perspective and the concerns they raised? 2 May 2011, a cup was approved. [3:31] That staff stated, the proposed reuse of the school with a variety of functions maximizes the occupancy of the vacant school. So in 2011, the city approved a conditional use permit where it stated the maximum occupancy. [3:48] The functions maximize the vacant school. I did not propose, I did not oppose the proposed use. It wasn't until I heard the intended use was for far more than what the building proposed that I got involved and spoke 16 May 2011. [4:07] Specifically, DAF proposed a use for a prayer on Friday for 200 and yet had 800 to 1000 at the building on March 2011. They did not own the property at that time. [4:23] And yet they had an event in a building that wasn't being used. It didn't have a certificate of occupancy. Residents asked the city to address this. Are you saying this is not a perspective or a concern you understand? [4:41] Going back to the prior incidents, Doll Fruk took debris from their parking lot, put it on shared property, put dirt over it, he was asked to be addressed and it wasn't. The other instance. [4:58] Darrell Froke started construction before 7aM. We wanted the city to address it. It wasn't addressed. The other one where I mentioned trails, you know, like, if specific trails were planned and then something else happens. [5:16] Would they be back in here? Like, I thought the trails were here. No, now the trails are closer to the, the creek. You know, they'd be in here, they'd ask. For us, we were told 200 and they had 800 to a thousand and we wanted the city to address it. [5:33] The executive director at the time said people who are curious but they would not all attend. The 800 to a thousand showed up again at a building without a certificate of occupancy, they did not own it and they had an event in the building of 800 to a thousand. [5:49] Nothing. And so the executive director at the time says he apologized for the park parking lot not being available to those who want to use the park. And yet today it's like we don't get to use the park parking lot and it's like. [6:06] We want it addressed? No, and it's a perspective you don't understand. Here in 2011, they had an event, the executive director apologizes for filling up that park parking lot, and now it's filled up and nobody addresses it and it's a perspective you don't understand. Resident. [6:26] Since we're given a list of staff to call, we had concerns at the time. [6:30] Specifically about the intensity of the use of the property, how would we know it was being the intensity of the use by the traffic and the parking? Darl Froke fills their parking lot, the smith park parking lot, and parks in the street. Residents call and at one point the city did require Darrell Frogue to follow the city on street parking lot. [6:50] Regulations but not anymore. And you don't understand that perspective how through the years the executive director knew the park patrons should be able to use their parking lot, said it wouldn't happen, it happens, and nobody addresses it. [7:09] If the city permitted a group of daily use of Moyer Park and stated 200 but had hundreds more and filled the Moyer park parking lot and residents asked the city to address it and the city did not, this wouldn't be at a perspective you would understand or concern if. [7:26] The saved the the nine restore, the nine came in here and said wait a minute, what's going on? We never knew you were going to allow this type of use at Moier Park and here they were back in here asking the city to address it. But somehow me asking the city to address. [7:43] Like non compliance and overuse and and the continued, the other thing about the continued changes at the building, the amount of conditional use permits, the amount of changes through the years going from. [8:01] For instance, in, 2013, the city changes so institutional uses were required to be adjacent to an arterial collector and yet in 2016, there was a cup amendment for a daycare. [8:17] 2017, there was a zoning request from residential to commercial. In August 2017, the fire inspector issues a certificate of occupancy for a charter school, even though there hadn't been. [8:33] A conditional use permit process or one approved. So each time these happen, you're gonna see me here saying address this. So it seems like she's in there all the time. Well, yeah, I am because they were always here asking for changes, changes that weren't. [8:51] City code compliant, so then, 2017, August 2017, they wanted to add the charter school to reach levels of hundred and 75. [9:06] August 29 2017, then it was a cup to increase from 60 to 120. November 2017 those weren't approved, so then this is another thing. [9:22] If something isn't approved, you can't come back to the council for a year. And well the reason is it's awful for the residents of the air neighborhood to have to keep addressing proposed uses. [9:37] But if they get their inkling that the city's gonna approve it and they pull out, then they can come back in and request another cup. So 29 August, it didn't go through November 2017. [9:54] There was the expansion from 6084 Sally, your time is up. Okay, thanks. Sorry to sign that? I can find her. No, she is. Yes. Thank you. [10:11] You're welcome. Mr. Becker, good evening, welcome. Arden. Good evening, welcome. Oh, thank you. Mayor. I appreciate it. I'm called you governor. No *******. Don't meet governor. [10:28] I I wanna thank the, the mayor and the city council for allowing me to speak this evening. This topic taxes is normally gonna be covered in about, you know, half an hour. [10:44] But I couldn't make that so I appreciate accommodating me. So, so, so typically what we do, mr. Becker, if if we have a topic on the on the agenda where there's going to be a public hearing, right? We don't allow it to be discussed here. [11:00] If you're not going to be be able to be there later tonight. Yeah. Since there's nobody else here, I mean, we'll allow it tonight, but I just so you know we'll tretch the rules a little bit because i'm happy that You're be happy then your secretary gave me permission dirty darnet. So excuse me, who runs this government anyway? Well, you'd be surprised if It's right. I also want to. [11:20] Thank mr. Rives and mr. Maua. I asked my wife, she knows this kind of stuff and anyway, I want to thank you and also your secretary Miss Mercer for. [11:37] Gotcha Communicating with me. You're very professional, very encouraging, thank you for any secrets, but I appreciate your, your, your thoughtfulness, and if the rest of you are like that, then I think Bloomington's in good hands, so. [11:53] Thank you. My name is Bill Becker and my wife and I have lived at 8740 Woodcliff Road since 1993 before some of you were born, probably. We've raised our three children there. This past Friday on 13 December. [12:11] I sent an email to the council members and the mayor, and told of the struggles Bloomington's seniors have with a large annual tax increases that we, we get from not only property taxes, but also the. [12:28] The city tax part of that. Now when I say struggling Bloomington seniors, I'm a senior of one. An army of one, ok? Maybe like Sally. But both not, but. [12:43] So I I didn't do a survey, I didn't do any of that good stuff, but it's, it's it's me. I I sent this email to all of you folks, two and a half pages. So I'm not gonna reread it here. However, I do want you to know that my own. [13:02] City of Bloomington taxes have increased from By the way, do you want to copy what I'm saying? You didn't get emailed, you didn't get emailed this is the file will pick that up and thank you. Yeah good. And i'm glad i'm glad you did. [13:22] So my, my, my city of Bloomington taxes have increased in 2017 when it was $1380, which is the year I retired, it was 70 years old at that time, and it's, it's being proposed to go to $2329 in 2025. [13:42] This represents a 68.8 % increase in my Bloomington City taxes. 68.8 % over eight years. My total property taxes have increased from $4608 in 2017. [14:02] To a proposed $6784 in 2025, and this represents a 47.2 % increase in my property taxes in eight years. Those are big numbers. [14:17] Especially when you're retired. During the same eight year time period, my wife's and my combined social security income has risen 27.3 %. Therefore, in 2025 44.6 %. [14:34] Of the increase that we will receive from social security will go to paying the 9.3 % increase in my 2025 property taxes, which includes the 11.3 % increase. [14:50] In our 2025 city of Bloomington taxes. At 44.6 % number came from, I described it in my email to you. My taxes are increasing $575. My social security is increasing a net of $1290 if you divide 7575 by 1200. [15:10] 90. [15:11] You get 44.6 % increase. So e.g., if in 2025 my wife and I receive a hundred dollar a month increase in social security, which is gonna be darn close. We would turn around and write a check to Hannifon County and the city of Bloomington for. [15:31] $44.60 each month to cover just the increase in our 2025 taxes. We could keep the remaining $55.40 each month to pay for increases in our out of pocket medical expenses. [15:49] Our Medicare premiums, our Medicare Advantage premiums, which none of you are on homeowners insurance, car insurance, maintenance, food, gasoline, utilities, and all the other costs increases that comprise our cost of living during 2025. [16:06] These percentage increases don't apply, these percentage increases don't apply to just my wife and me. To some degree they apply to every Bloomington resident. But especially to retired Bloomington residents whose incomes are more fixed. [16:26] Those 65 and over represent 20.3 % of Bloomington's population and has been the fastest growing piece of the pop of this the the fastest growing segment since 1980I googled it. [16:42] Every 5th person you see in Bloomington is a senior. Every 4th tax pane person you see in Bloomington is a senior. And I would guess that almost. [16:57] Although seniors represent 25 % of Bloomington's taxpayers, the city collects more than 25 % of its revenue from seniors. Seniors have been paying taxes for decades. I know because I've been around for decades. [17:14] We are grandparents, the best best job in the world. We are your neighbors. We are not bad people, but we need your help. We need you to put an end to high tax increases. [17:30] So please read my letter, take it to heart, and please act on it. Thank you. Yes. Council member Dallassandro. Thank you mr. Mayork. I'm happy to meet you. Thank you for sending all that. Are you? Yes sir. Nice to meet you. Yeah, pleasure. Thank you very much. Always good. Yeah. [17:50] So, so I'm asking some questions and I'll probably ask some questions specifically about your situation because you're giving us specific information, but we can make it more generic if you want to as well. Hey, do you know what your the value of your home was in 2020 in 2017, like what it was assessed at, at the time? I have it at home. [18:10] I I keep my. [18:15] Yes. Yeah, I don't know it offhand. Okay, I'm not gonna leave here I don't don't worry. The reason I bring it up is I can look back 25 years and I can tell you that at at in 2020 your house was worth 419942. Now it's valued at 5000. [18:33] To try $547569 05:16. Yeah, ok. But with the homestead yes, that would make total sense. So, so the reason I bring that up is because the f the 68 % increase has a lot to do with the fact that this the levy itself is. [18:51] Is against that property value. So your property value, I'm gonna guess has gone up 68 % or more since 2017, and the, so it's hard for we don't control that. The state and the auditing process defines what your property is assessed at, assess that, right? [19:11] I understand that a 9.25 % increase, which is what we're proposing tonight is a high increase, and I am not debating that we will debate that later. But we don't have control or authority over property value assessments and every single one of us. [19:27] I think on this at this table is a homeowner here in Bloomington, at least the council members, and we all experienced that same shop between 2020 and 2024 when our home values skyrocketed. That's why state legislatures work has gone into number one increasing the home stead exemption. I believe you probably saw in your. [19:47] Taxation estimate that the homes that exemption went up for you proportionately speaking, I hope so, it did for me, for sure because it meant that my. [19:57] Despite these increases, the property value of my house that was assessed last year is actually gonna be lower this year, and it has nothing to do with the property value changing. It has to do with the fact that I'm getting more from my home set exemption. So we have the folks in the legislature to thank for some of that. But that's where that happens. [20:17] The assessment we're making. Council member, we're at time here. I'd like to make sure that mr. Becker. Absolutely. My comment to you is or my question to you is knowing that what, where would you like to see us make changes to the investments we're making so that we can. [20:35] Target those and explain that knowing that we don't have any control over your property assessment unless you want to come and debate that property assessment in April when that happens. Yeah, thank you for that explanation. I would think if my property value increased, my tax rate would go down. [20:53] Because, if the tax rates stayed the same that I was assessed and my property rate, you know, my property, value went up, I would think you'd get tons of, tons of tax money. I mean tons of tax money because my property value went up. [21:11] The tax rate stayed the same, maybe, that you charge me and there I I would think my, I think I would think the, the money that came into the city would go up. I would think that if my property tax, if my property value went up, my tax rate would go down. [21:28] The city's tax. The other thing is why don't why don't why why don't you talk to our, the other thing is my my property tax, my my my property tax went up 9.3 % in 25. That's what it's proposed. That's right. That's what and my tax value and my home value went up. [21:47] $4000, if you divide 4000 by 512, you get less than 1 %. There's a difference also between the levy and the percentage increase in in the in the property tax. I'm sorry we we we do have to cut this off. I don't want to go too long and I understand your questions and so on, but I want to make sure that we're fair to to folks as. [22:07] Especially downstairs, we're there only 5 min to talk to us. You got a full ten, so you gotta you gotta bonus five there. Yeah I know she does. She does that. Mr. Berrougie, thank you. Mr. Mayoron council members mr. Becker I think. [22:23] What we can do is just connect you with our city assessor. In addition to the valuation which council member Dallassandro had some of the numbers but you know 2019 it was 3905, so it's been a 31 % increase in the last six years in the valuation. But what the assessor can do is just walk you through the math of how the. [22:43] Calculates against the the total evaluation within the city and then how that gets divvied up because you know some of I understand what you're saying in terms of trying to figure out how the. [22:55] How the rate, would work and and it's, it's misunderstood right now. So Tim Balder, our city assessor, I'll put him in contact with you and you can talk to him. We also actually have, we can find the, the. [23:13] Web link because our our budget manager and our city assessor did a really nice piece on how valuation and Levy works together, because it explains those mechanics pretty well. So we'll get that to you as a follow up from time. Just last 3 s 2 s yep. [23:33] Look, can Tim help him if there's any property to actually leave options? Absolutely. Absolutely. Yep. Yep. 2025. You know, I do want to thank you guys. I, You change this the city speed limit city limit speed limit. [23:53] From 30 to 25. You should have gone to 20 but it's in a step in the right direction. There are kids everywhere in our neighborhood. I mean everywhere. [24:01] When you got UPS trucks, FedEx trucks, Amazon trucks, maleman, and construction, and they're all going faster than they should. Not not the maleman. He's, he's got, but I mean it, so that's why I thank you for that and and Mary Christmas. Thank you for your. [24:21] Just lower my taxes, ok? I would look for a motion to adjourn our listening session and head downstairs. Are we got a motion in the journ all those in favor? We are adjourned, we'll head to see you downstairs. Thank you.