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CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> yet, the income level of the people who are supporting all of this keeps dropping. Your tax payer
<br /> base's income level is dropping. You can't just keep raising the top level. If you're going to do
<br /> two percent (2%), it's more for the people making $100,000 than it is for those making $35,000.
<br /> You're never going to close that gap, and you're not going to be able to keep supporting the upper
<br /> management; eventually it's going to collapse. Karen, thank you, fabulous job. Jen, thank you.
<br /> You two (2)women are amazing. I commend you both on your transparency and listening to us.
<br /> Committee Chair White stated, From each budget process we've done, we've learned something
<br /> new every time. We have recommended that when we kick off the 2020 budget, that we will start
<br /> out our discussions looking at debt,the TIF Districts,and other areas.We've also discussed having
<br /> quarterly meetings where we can have this type of conversation just to say where things are
<br /> moving,and to make sure we can keep the level of transparency,but also the open communication.
<br /> Our goal is to make it as clear as possible. There are so many different revenue streams that we
<br /> have, and we try to make sure that we fully understand how our City is funded, but also most
<br /> importantly that our citizens understand.
<br /> Councilmember Scott stated, I would like to thank Karen White for taking on this Committee and
<br /> this task, so thank you so much for everything that you've done. Thank you, Jen, and everybody
<br /> else out there.I've been on this for seven(7)years,and every year it has gotten better. The citizens
<br /> have asked and we've changed a lot. I've been to other Cities and seen other councils at work, and
<br /> sometimes we have to get out and look around to see how everybody else does it. We do it a lot
<br /> better than other people,and we set the tone of transparency. Mr.Bognar,you mentioned financial
<br /> experts, and you're right. Each member is a unique individual with different experiences. I handle
<br /> a budget that is only forty percent (40%) less than what this budget is. So my experience and
<br /> knowledge is different than John Voorde's. You're absolutely right. Today within the Council
<br /> budget, we made an adjustment where we increased the Professional Services fund, which would
<br /> account for that. Other Council Members have asked for that, and where it might not be a need for
<br /> me, it could be for someone else and then we'd have that available. Like anything else out of
<br /> Professional Services,that would have to be justified and come through the Council and we would
<br /> have to go through the process of picking whoever that is and going from there. But, if you look
<br /> at this City over the last seven(7) years and the previous Mayor to this Mayor and Council, there
<br /> are a lot of new faces and changes. That is just part of that peaceful revolution of government and
<br /> how it transfers power. People, administrations and teams do things differently. There are vast
<br /> improvements, there's no disrespect to previous administrations, but things do evolve. Christina
<br /> Brooks is case in point in that department here and in what we've seen in other departments.
<br /> Budgets are implemented,and money that we put in,we might not use,we might not have to spend
<br /> all of that. Until the budget is actually actualized next year,those will be the end results. Working
<br /> with Karen White and all of the rookies, compared to her and I, quality of life,neighborhoods, it's
<br /> taken a while. We want it overnight. Thank you all for working with us.
<br /> Committee Chair White asked Ms.Hockenhull to come back to the podium for closing comments.
<br /> Jennifer Hockenhull stated,Thank you again,this has been a great process.Every year it has gotten
<br /> better from my perspective as well. Thank you for your feedback and to the residents for their
<br /> feedback. If you do have questions please be sure to get them to us. Our goal is to get responses to
<br /> the lingering questions that we haven't had a chance to get back to from Council by our public
<br /> hearing on Monday the 24th. That is the goal and I think that is achievable, so we'll get those out
<br /> to you. If there is anything else, we're happy to answer anything we can answer.
<br /> EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT
<br /> 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Bvld l South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.92211f 574.235.91731TM 574.235.5567 Iwww.southbendin.gov
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