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Minutes - San Leandro City Council Meeting - May 16, 1994 Page - 9 - NEW BUSINESS (continued) 2. Ellen Geis, noted she was only speaking for herself, not representing any homeowners' association. She said people did not see the large advertisement for the hearing in the Daily Review because many people do not take the newspaper. She said communication with homeowners should be improved. She said these assessments are getting around Prop. 13. The City Council asked questions and discussed various methods of getting information to the public. 3. Harry Lema, 15357 Inverness, protested the tax increase and asked what will happen next year when the shortfall doesn't disappear. He said this is right back to Prop. 13, and another ballot measure will be necessary. 4. Lou Fili.povich, 15376 Laverne Drive, said the homeowners' associations in San Leandro do not represent everyone, which is why there are not a lot of people at Council meetings. He said everyone should get the full Agenda packet. He said the two Taxes should be discussed separately. He said the Utility Tax is a property tax and businesses pass costs on to their customers. He asked if the money is going into the General Fund; staff said it will . He said it could not pass Prop. 62 or 13. He said the Transient Occupancy Tax is getting involved in rent control . 5. Paul Vargas, 872 Portola Drive, said the Council was converted to supply-side economics by reducing the rate at the parking garage, but they are now turning back by raising the Utility Tax. He agreed with Mr. Rosenga's statement regarding the Transient Occupancy Tax. 6. Dana Johnson, Farrelly Drive, said the hearing is preliminary because the majority of citizens don't have the budget to see what would be cut if $750,000 is eliminated. He said they cannot comment on whether they want the Tax or not if they don't know how it will affect the city. 7. Joseph Domino, 735 Williams Street, asked if the Utility Tax applied to apartments. Mike Oliver said it applies to all residential units. Mr. Domino referred to an article in the Daily Review and asked if the Tax applied to the Cable hookup to a house, even if the house doesn't use Cable. Mr. Jermanis responded that it applies to the Cable bills for service but is only applied if a house actually uses Cable TV. 8. Kai Bender, 261 Begier Avenue, said San Leandro is probably in a better situation than most cities because the tax rate is based more on business than on residential properties. He said, to be credible, there should be an annual review; and some of the increases should be taken back if the economic situation improves.