Minutes 09/27/1961 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 27th, 1961 That: Said VA 1-7 site plan is hereby approved as a Group Housing Project with respect to ground coverage~ floor area ratio, lot area per dwelling unit, off-street parking and loading, and yard space zoning ordinance requirements." Motion of Mr. Dillon to concur i~ the recommendation of the Planning Commission was approved, without dissenting vote. 61-284 - The following motion by Mr. Walker was lost, there being no second: "I move that Section 1 of the Rules of Government of the Council be amended as follows: 'Section 1. There shall be regular meetings of the Council on the second and fourth Tuesdays in each month at 7:30 o'clock P.M. and continue in session not later than 11 o'clock P.M., except by unanimous consent of the members present. Regular conferences shall be held on the first and third Tuesdays in each month starting at 7:30 o'clock P.M. Both meetings amd conferences shall be open to the public. Items of business, which by their nasure requirn closed sessions~ shall be so considered by unan~mnus consent of all members of Council.' (New language underlined) 61-285 - The following communication from Mr. Walker was read: "I submit the attached ordinance for your considerat ion. This ordinance changes the fiscal year of the City from July 1st to January 1st of each year. The prime result of such change would be to bring together the dates for~ establishing the tax rate and the budget as prescribed by law: Chapter 17, Section 58-844 of the Code of Virginia is quoted 'the Council of every city and town shall annually cause to be made up and entered on their journals an account of all sums lawfully chargeable on the city or town which ought to be paid within one year and order a city or town levy of so much as in their opinion is necessary to be raised in that way in addition to what may be received for licenses and from other sources...' Section 15-575 of the Code of Vicginia is quoted 'At least 30 days prior to the time when the annual tax levy is made, the Board of Supervisors or the Councils of the cities and towns shall prepare...' Chapter IV, Section 32 of the Charter of the City .of Portsmouth is quoted 'For the execu- tion of its powers and duties, the city council may raise annually, by taxes and assess - meats in said city, such sums as they shall deem necessary to defray the expenses of and for the purposes of said city.' Secondary to the legal aspect, but of utmost importance in view of our present fiscal condition, are the following o'ther reasons~for an immediate change in the firsca year: First- The present policy of fixing a tax rate six months after, or before (your choice) the budget is approved, is without foundation and of no effect except to stabilize the denominator. At this mid point between two budgets it is too late to apply it 5o the estimates of the current year and too early to apply it to the unknown require- ments of the following year, Second- A new, and I believe an equitable, assessment will be certified at the end of next year. The size of this new tax base and its effect upon the annual budget can not be controlled by the taxpayers unless ~the right to set the-tax rate at the same time is returned to them. By acknowledgingTthis right~ now, while there is still time to make the necessary fiscal adjustments, the annual assessment system with all its good features can be preserved~ and at the same time~ the taxpayer can be protected against its one basic liability - its use to provide revenue by increasing the tax base rather than by applying a tax rate to an equitable base. It is possible to establish a lawful and logical tax rate only when the annual tax base and the estimated annual expenditures are considered together. The proposed change in the beginning of the fiscal year will make that possible." there being no second: Motion of Mr. Walker to approve on first readingi~the following ordinance was lost, "An Ordinance to Amend and Reordain Section 8-1.6, of the Code of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, 1951, as amended, to Provide for the Beginning of the Fiscal Year on the First Day of January of Each Year from and after January 1, 1962. 8-1.6 of the Code of the City follows: Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, that Section of Portsmouth, Virginia, 1951, as amended, be amended and reordained to read as Section 8-1.6 Fiscal year and lapse of appropriations. The fiscal year for the City shall begin on the first day of January of each year, beginning with January 1, 1962. All appropriations shall lapse at the end of the period for which they were made, to the extent they shall not have been expended or lawfully encumbered. This ordinance being necessary for the preservation of the public health, morals and safety, an emergency: is declared to exist and it shall be effective from and after its passage.' 61-286 - The following letter from Claudius B. ~uffin was read: