Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item #___5_____



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting



June 03, 2003

Agenda Report #_____74____



TO: Mayor and Councilors



SUBJECT: Updating Tax Millage General Rules, Procedures and Regulations



INITIATED BY: Finance Department

_____________________________________________________________________________

Recommendation: Approve a resolution updating previous resolutions defining

general rules, procedures, regulations, requirements, and specifications,

setting forth the manner and method for creation of new urban service districts

and expansion consolidations, reduction or merger of urban service districts

for the Columbus Consolidated Government to be enacted beginning July 1, 2003.



Background: The prior Resolution #222-88, which would be rescinded by the

proposed resolution, is being updated to clarify terminology and definitions to

make it relevant with changes made since its passage in 1988. For example,

refuse fees are now a part of the Integrated Waste Management Fund and no

longer part of millage calculations and Street Maintenance has moved from the

General Fund to the Paving Fund.



Analysis: No changes were made in the definitions of Urban and General Service

Districts or in the creation, expansion, consolidation, reduction or merger of

Urban Service Districts. Changes made include updating the references to the

Sewer Fund from Storm Sewer Fund to the broader term Sewer Fund which is more

applicable to the current Fund definition.



Section 7 is changed by removing Refuse Collection and Street Maintenance from

the list of designated Urban Services in General Fund. Refuse collection and

Street Maintenance are now part of the Integrated Waste Management Fund and

Paving Fund respectively.



Section 9 is updated to match the call system used in the Police Department for

defining calls. Priority 2 and Priority 3 calls will be used in determining

the rate of taxation for police services other than patrol, and are defined as

?calls which are non-routine and impose threat of injury or loss of life and/or

property including felonies, traffic accidents, domestic violence, and other

?expedite? or emergency? calls?. This will have a small impact in the

calculation by removing Priority 1 routine, non-emergency calls which make up

approximately 15% of all calls thereby reducing the median response time.



Section 10 changes include specifying the areas of ?Public Works? i.e. Public

Safety and Engineering divisions that pertain to General Service District.

Urban Services for these areas were incorporated in the appropriate fund, i.e.

Sewer and Paving, in the past. For example, Street Maintenance was moved to

the Paving Fund.



Alternatives: Keep the current resolution which has some relevance in its

application.



Financial Considerations: The Resolution would be effective July 1, 2003.

However, no financial impact would occur until FY 2005. Based on projections,

the call time would be reduced in both districts. The impact would continue to

provide coverage of expenditures for Police Patrol, but by reducing the median

response time it would provide more equitable funding among the Urban Service

Districts.



Legal Considerations: The proposed changes serve to update the prior resolution

222-88 to apply to the legal changes and therefore adjust to the changes made

in the past 15 years. It brings the outdated sections back into relevance.



Recommendations/Actions: Approve a resolution updating previous resolutions

defining general rules, procedures, regulations, requirements, and

specifications, setting forth the manner and method for creation of new urban

service districts and expansion consolidations, reduction or merger of urban

service districts for the Columbus Consolidated Government to be enacted

beginning July 1, 2003. This resolution would rescind Resolution No. 222-88.