pages: CityCouncil/2013-09-25.pdf, 7
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CityCouncil | 2013-09-25 | 7 | there will be many public meetings going forward. The City Planner noted the Planning Board is having another hearing on October 14th to address the town center plan and Alameda Point zoning. (13-425) Provide Comments on the Disposition Strategy for Alameda Point. The Chief Operating Officer - Alameda Point gave a Power Point presentation. *** Councilmember Tam left the dais at 9:04 p.m. and returned at 9:07 p.m. * Mayor Gilmore stated commercial and retail is one of the top priorities; questions have come up why the City is leading with commercial and retail. The City Manager stated Alameda's economic deficits and revenue streams have been reviewed; staff is focused on the budget and long term financial problems; the City does not have enough money to maintain the roads on a proper schedule; money has not been set aside for post-employment benefits; PERS is going to impose smoothing, which will cost extra; the Council has done a very good job in making strategic cuts and increasing reserves; in the next two years, the City will go to market for infrastructure as the highest bond rated municipality in the East Bay; cutting more services is politically infeasible; the budget has two sides: cost and revenue; the glaring hole in Alameda's revenue package is retail sales tax; therefore, the number one priority for the City is to bolster retail and bring businesses that generate business to business sales tax; discussed retail leakage; stated growth has to be strategic; leading with housing creates a constituency which could want to stop future commercial, industrial and retail growth and almost always excludes revenue needed generators; staff is concerned with the consequences of California's tax structure; housing units can be assess on the front end, which helps build infrastructure; however, in 30 to 50 years, residential will generally not pay for the service demands it generates based on the Proposition 13 tax structure; uses should be reviewed which balance and give the City financial wherewithal at the front end and in the long term; staff is not interested in big box retail, such as Costco or Walmart; staff will present retail proposals in the next couple of months; retail is a priority for financial, phasing and political reasons and because there is a real need; traffic trips will be created; however, trips of Alamedans driving cars off Island to shop would be diverted; retail would not exclude, but would complement, housing. Councilmember Tam stated that she understands the academic need for sales tax revenue; however, the City will have to deal with financing infrastructure; there is a huge backbone infrastructure need; the City has huge sales tax leakage, which needs to be dealt with long term; inquired whether studies show that retail can pay for Alameda Point infrastructure which has a price tag of $575 to $600 million. Joint Meeting Alameda City Council and 7 Planning Board September 25, 2013 | CityCouncil/2013-09-25.pdf |