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247
<br />
<br />April 14, 1981
<br />
<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council held on April 14, 1981, there were present:
<br />
<br />J. E. Johansen, Jack P. Barnes, J. Robert Gray, Edward L. Oast, Jr., Gloria O.
<br />Webb, Morton V. Whitlow, G. Robert House, Jr., City Manager, Steven Lieberman,
<br />City Attorney.
<br />
<br />Absent: Ben A. Beamer, Sr.
<br />
<br /> Rev. Cleveland J. Freeman, Pastor, St. John Baptist Church, opened the meeting with praye
<br />followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
<br />
<br />Mayor Johansen welcomed all visitors in attendance.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Barnes and seconded by Mr. Gray, minutes of the called meetings of March 20
<br />1981, March 23, 1981, March 24, 1981, minutes of the regular meeting of March 24, 1981, and
<br />minutes of special meeting of March 25, 1981, to be approved as received, and was adopted by
<br />unanimous vote.
<br />
<br /> 81-120 Benjamin J. Levy, Ifnmediate Past President of the Portsmouth Chamber of
<br />Commerce, spoke concerning the ~egional long-range water requirements report of the Water
<br />Study Task Force Committee and asked for the endorsement of the report by the City Council
<br />for their presentation to the Governor. Endorsements have been received from all the area
<br />Chambers, Virginia Beach City Council, and is on the agendas of every City Council, and every
<br />County Board of Supervisors.of the eight cities and counties involved. The report addresses
<br />primaril~z, the mid and long-range problems and the main thrust to encourage the Governor to
<br />get the State Water Control Board to develop a plan that can be implemented to serve all the
<br />areas involved with due respect £or the different rights and concerns of the citizens of each
<br />eight communites involved. (A copy of the report was submitted prior to the meeting).
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Whitlow and seconded by Mr. Oast,
<br />Manager, and was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br /> 81-121 Public Hearing to consider a proposal
<br />cert&in types of business licenses issued under the
<br />Year beginning May 1, 1981.
<br />
<br /> that the matter be referred to the City
<br />
<br />to restructure the ba§is of taxation for
<br />Local Licenses Ordinance for the 1981 Tax
<br />
<br />No one spoke.
<br />
<br /> 81-122 -"Consideration of an ordinance to amend Article II of Chapter 20 of the Code of
<br />t~e~City of Portsmouth, 1973, pertaining to tax schedules for Business Licenses.
<br />
<br /> Section 58-266.1 of the State Code, relating to the authority of local governments to
<br /> levy a business license tax, was amended by the 1978 session of the General Assembly setting
<br /> forth tax rate ceilings. The ceiling rates adopted require that beginning in tax year 1983
<br /> (Fiscal Year 1982-83), local tax rates that exceed the ceiling rate (s) must be rolled back.
<br /> Portsmouth's rates exceed the ceiling rates; therefore, in order To properly administer the
<br /> rollback beginning in 1982-83, the local license ordinance should be revised so that the class
<br /> fication of firms and the basis of taxation is consistent with 58-266-1. It is important for
<br /> the classification and taxing basis to be revised for the upcoming 1981 tax year because the
<br /> rollback methodology requires that the tax rate be applied in the 1983 tax year be based on
<br /> 1981 receipts. This amendment to the City Code is being made as a result of actions of the
<br /> General Assembly and is necessary in order to bring the City in compliance with State law. T~
<br />'-CityCM[hKCer'¥~commends adoption on first reading.
<br />
<br />on
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Barnes and seconded by Mrs. Webb, the following ordinance was approved
<br />first reading, and by unanimous vote:
<br />
<br /> "AN ORDINANCE TO AMKND ARTICLE II OF CHAPTER 20 OF THE COD[ OF THE CITY OF.
<br /> PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, 1973, PERTAINING TO TAX SCHEDULES FOR BUSINESS LICENSES."
<br />
<br />UNFINISHED BUSINESS
<br />
<br /> 81-107 - On motion of Mr. Gray and seconded by Mrs. Webb, the following resolution was
<br />adopted., and by the following vote:
<br />
<br />"A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND tHE CITY ATTORNEY TO MEET WITH
<br />OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO EXPLORE THE
<br />CURRENT STATUS OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, since 1975, the City of Portsmouth's Community Development Program, in accordanc
<br />with Federal requirements, has addressed Citywide problems including: (1) Inadequate housing
<br />and service for low and moderate income families; (2) A limited tax base and land area;
<br />(3) A low per capita income and high rate of unemployment; (4) Extensive blight and deteriore
<br />and (5) Underdeveloped and inappropriately developed property, which problems the City has
<br />always undertaken to address through an aggressive program utilizing the Urban Renewal Program
<br />and Community Development Program; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, successfully community development activities have been undertaken in the Mt.
<br />Hermoq, Southside, Effingham, Cradock, Parkview, Olde Towne, Northside and Crawford neighborhoc
<br />
<br />
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