On the City Council Agenda tonight:

1. Ordinance No. 896 Ad Valorem [in proportion to the value] Property Tax to add 1% to property taxes.

2. Ordinance No. 893 Year End Budget Amendment
to amend the 2008 by almost $2 million dollars.

Won’t you come out tonight and share your views with Mayor Harding & the City Council, who are looking after Yelm property owners’ future with the 2009-2010 budget?


TONIGHT’S AGENDA WILL BEGIN AT 7:30PM AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING…

UPDATE 9PM:
With only myself as the Yelm Community Blog host, the NVN reporter and city Staff, there was only one other person in the audience. All issues passed, except the Budget Public Hearing will remain open for comment through Dec. 9th. E-mail, snail mail or voice your comment in person by Dec. 9th.

I mentioned several items that will have a detrimental impact on revenues in 2009, and the City Council may want to look at lowering their revenue projections. These stories highlight what I mentioned that will all mean less money in city coffers here:
New home sales fall to slowest pace since 1991

Meltdown far from over, new mortgage crisis looms

New jobless claims drop from 16-year high

New crisis in commercial real estate looms

I also mentioned the zero-down home being sold in Yelm has its days numbered, since banks and mortgage companies now require 20-25% down in cash.
These factors should be considered.

Unemployment, home sales dropping, home prices dropping, home assessments dropping, sales declines leading to less sales tax all will impact revenue.

Interesting that the Nisqually Valley News chose NOT to print any of these stories from the City Council meeting, though a reporter was at the session.

This month marks the required time that a Yelm 2009 Mayoral candidate must be registered to vote and live in the city limits. The Public Disclosure Commission insures a mayoral candidate has lived in the city for one year prior to the 2009 election.

As already reported in the Nisqually Valley News a few months ago, this writer is not eligible to run for Mayor since I reside outside of the city limits, and will seek NO public office nor will accept any appointed position.