12-04-72 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 4, 1972 H 11 RESOLUTION NO. 341 -72 (CONTINUED) Mayor Jerry J. Miller made reference to a letter sent to the Council members explaining why he did not sign the resolution and asked that his letter be read into the record. City Clerk Irene K. Gammon read the Mayor's letter as follows: ID December 2, 1972 " Members of South Bend Common Council County -City Building South Bend, Indiana Attention: Mr. Peter J. Nemeth, President Dear Councilmen: In compliance with the law, I am writing this letter to notify you of my reasons for not signing Resolution Number 341 -72. Without going into great detail or philosophy, I have not signed the Resolution for at least the following reasons: 1. The City has not received permanent guidelines for spending. This is due in mid January 1973. 2. The City has not received a firm figure from the Department of the Treasury. 3. The City has not received any part of the actual money. 4. We have proposed a date of February 15;0 1973 as a target date for presenting to the Council a complete budget breakdown for the first four entitlement periods (January 1, 1972 - June 30, 1973). 5. We do not have a firm response from the County Council or County Commissioners on what joint projects are possible. 6. The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns are meeting with all the Mayors and Councilmen on December 6, 1972 to present several types of alternative "property tax "provisions. 7. it is possible that our future amount of revenue could be adversely affected by a premature property tax reduction at this time. 8. The State Tax Board of Tax Commissioners has reduced the Motor Vehicle Tax from eleven cents to nine cents which clearly makes the Resolution inaccurate. 9. A resolution is not the usual procedure for establishing a budget. 10. Passage of a similar resolution leads to a proliferation of problems that could be avoided by a Comprehensive Plan and budget which will be presented, as stated, by February 15, 1973. Until the answers to these questions can be resolved, I feel that in the best interest of the citizens of South Bend, I should refrain from signing this Resolution. My goal for Revenue Sharing is property tax relief. However, until-allguidelines are final, I cannot justify spending this money. Sincerely, /s/ Jerry J. Miller, Mayor, City of South Bend 11 Councilman Newburn said that since information has not been received from the federal.-govern- ment regarding the use of revenue sharing funds and since a hearing will be held on Wednesday of this week on procedures, he would make a motion to table this matter until after this information was received. The motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Parent said that the intent of the resolution is very broad. It does not eliminate the llfi if the revenue sharing funds are to be based on the amount of taxes we pay. The intent is not to deprive the Street Department budget but to replace the $225,000 with revenue sharing funds. We are not actually spending the money tonight but are expressing our thoughts We are under certain limitations. Mr. Parent said that he urged the Council to vote favorably on the resolution. Councilman Miller made a motion for adoption of the resolution, seconded by Councilman Szymko- wiak. Councilman Nemeth advised the Council members that it would require a two - thirds vote for adoption. The resolution was adopted by a roll call vote of seven ayes (Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Parent, Taylor, Horvath, and Nemeth) two nays (Councilmen Kopczynski and Newburn). RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WILL AID VICTIMS OF CRIME IN PUBLIC PLACES OR ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. WHEREAS, the crime rate in public places or on public property has risen to high enough proportions to be of great concern to the citizens of South Bend; WHEREAS, the rehabilitation of criminals takes tremendous amounts of money, effort and personal time; WHEREAS, the victim of crime has not been justly, or in most cases none whatsoever, compensated for his expenses due to being a victim of crime in public places or on public property;