HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-26 Council minutes
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CITY OF IOWA CITY
MEMORANDUM
Date: November 26, 2007
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
Re: Meeting with Area Legislators, Council Work Session,
November 26,2007,5:30 PM in Emma J. Harvat Hall
Council: Bailey, Champion, Correia, Elliott, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Wilburn
Council Elect: Hayek, Wright
UISG Rep: Volland
Staff: Helling, Dilkes, Karr, Fosse, Davidson
(A complete transcription is available in the City Clerk's Office)
Mayor Wilburn welcomed area legislators, and thanked the Legislators for attending this
meeting and for all they do during the year. There was discussion on the following items:
· Iowa State Housing Trust Fund appropriation
· Utility Programs that promote energy efficiency appliances and other "green" initiatives
· Property tax credits / condos
· Increase the funding for microenterprise development
· Expand Iowa Earned Income Tax credit
· Change in Iowa Code 562A.12 (wrongful retention of landlord deposits)
· Maintain local control over cable franchising
· Tax Restructuring (rollback, etc.)
· Enable local government to regulate smoking in public places
· Support Passenger Rail Transportation Initiatives
Development of local commuter rail
Extension of Amtrak service into/through Iowa
· Iowa City City Council and Iowa League of Cities Shared Priorities
A. Alternative Revenues
1) Increasing the hotel/motel tax up to 9%
2) Implementing a sales tax rebate for specifically defined economic
development
B. Infrastructure Funding
1) TIME-21 Committee
a) Pick up truck registration fees
b) Statewide sales tax and/or gas tax increase
2) State funding for water/wastewater infrastructure
Meeting with Area Legislators, Council Work Session
November 26, 2007
Page 2
C. Economic Development Initiatives
1) Preserve or expand initiatives such as Vision Iowa, Great
Places and Community Attractions
2) Prevent changes that would impair use of Tax Increment
Financing (TIF) as an economic developmenttool
D. Limit costs imposed on local government for police/fire pensions.
1) State support of MFPRSI System
Other Leaislative Issues
State elected officials summarized their accomplishments during the last legislative session, and
presented information on the coming year. City Atty. Dilkes noted her memo to Council (IP3 of
11/21 Info Packet) regarding open records and open meeting draft legislation and concerns
regarding "walking quorums".
Meeting adjourned 6:45 PM.