Consensusly Speaking

It’s all about strategy, I guess. Ask for a non-binding consensus vote to get staff direction. Get the city council to solidify that consensus vote during the committee of the whole session that eludes public participation. Remind the council members of their commitment to consensus in the face of any public backlash.

Ahem:

At a Joint Meeting of the City Council and the Finance Advisory Committee, discussion continued on the need for the construction and financing of a new police station. At that meeting, consensus was reached on the following items:

The building is to be constructed on the city-owned site on West Lincoln Highway.

The building’s size was not determined. Instead, the consensus was that we would proceed with a “build to” number, meaning the size of the building would be dependent on what a $12 million budget would buy. It is estimated that this budget would fund a building size in the 40,000 and 45,000 square feet range.

The source of funds to pay the annual debt service on a $12 million bond would be the $400,000 in debt relief from the 2010 bond restructuring effort and a $200,000 transfer from General Fund reserves. The consensus was that other funds would be generated by an increase in the local gas tax. Approximately $200,000 would be generated from each $0.01 increase from the current rate of $0.02 per gallon. Other to-be-identified funds would round out whatever balances might exist.

Action on the $400,000 in debt relief and the $200,000 transfer in general fund reserves were accomplished as part of the FY 2012 budget adoption. Action on additional funds from an increase in the local gas tax would occur with the adoption of an ordinance revising Chapter 66 of the Municipal Code. — July 25, 2011 DeKalb City Council Committee of the Whole Agenda

Heck, they even got “clerk call the roll” consensus from us Finance Advisory Committee members. I voted with the consensus on the need for a new police station. I disagreed with the consensus that it be built on West Lincoln Highway. I’m not dead set against the location. I’m against the site selection procedure that forced the “consensus” location above any consideration that say a public hearings or an independent traffic study might bring. A procedure that did not include getting input from the Police Facilities Committee during the special joint meetings of 2011 is flawed.

Actually I could stand up and cheer for the West Lincoln Highway location. I’d even recommend that the new police parking lot be named after Mayor Kris Povlsen. IF the DeKalb Police Department and the NIU Police Department shared the location, costs and responsibilities of providing a safe and secure environment for the entire DeKalb community and that includes NIU. Our police force would double in size. Now that’s bringing together the town and gown community!

So, the council moved one and a half steps closer to financing the West Lincoln Highway police station as consensused. By a 6-0 margin (Naylor absent) the council voted in favor of staff writing an ordinance that would increase the Home Rule gas tax by 1.5 cents. Staff proposed a penny increase but our fiscally conservative council added another half-a-cent probably because that somehow kept the increase “revenue-neutral” for this year. You’ll forget that phrase, “revenue neutral,” sometime shortly in the 20-30 year bond life.

Silly you for thinking that half-cent might retire the construction debt early. For sure there are streets and sidewalks that need to be fixed. And in our way of local government such projects finish below COLA wage increases in the spending priority order.

Taxpayers might want to ask their mayor and city council members not to spend any of the gas tax increase money on anything other than police station debt. Don’t be surprised if the bonds are issued as General Obligation Bonds. If so that would require a property tax increase that is abated IF the revenue generated and designated from the gas tax meets the obligation.

Better police facilities are needed. A financing plan must accommodate those needs. But the procedure employed here, and it’s well oiled, limits the outcome to the proposed objective and thus eliminates alternatives such as TIF, partnerships, and technological advances.

It is noted that the gas station owners were notified of the proposed Home Rule gas tax increase. Here’s hoping their feedback and ideas are heard and considered. I, for one, see some connection between police services and gas sales that I do not see with the previously proposed water tax.

The good news is the public gets to chime in now that the issue is being framed in ordinance form. It’s time to let the council know what the community consensus is.