ORDINANCE COMMITTEE
July 5, 2016
MINUTES
A meeting of the Ordinance Committee of the City Council met on Tuesday, July 5, 2016, in City Hall room 215. Those in attendance included: Councilman Gregg Cogswell, Councilman Paul Cavagnero, Councilwoman Anne Ruwet, Mayoral Aide Timothy Waldron, Tax Collector Launa Goslee and Corporation Counsel Jaime M. LaMere.
The meeting came to order at 6:12 p.m.
I.
Proposed Municipal Ordinance on retention of excess payments in Accordance with Connecticut General Statute § 12-129.
There was discussion on the retention of excess payments brought to the Committee by Tax Collector Launa Goslee. Those present discussed Connecticut General Statute § 12-129 and the municipality’s ability to adopt an ordinance to authorize the Tax Collector to retain excess payments made of less than $5 and that most municipalities in the State of Connecticut have already adopted such an ordinance since the passage of Public Act 95-383.
Tax Collector Launa Goslee stated that there were currently 286 accounts with refunds of less than $5 from the 2014 Grand List and 2015 Grand List. Mrs. Goslee stated that the City will save money by not having to cut checks for refunds amounting to pennies and that the majority of the 286 accounts had refunds of less than $1.00. The Tax Collector currently forwards the excess payments to the City and the City is responsible for cutting the checks when the Tax Collector receives applications for refunds.
Discussion was had that the language of the ordinance should reflect that the City, not the Tax Collector, shall retain these excess payments and that the Tax Collector provide the City with an accounting of the names and account numbers.
A motion was made by Councilwoman Ruwet that the ordinance be presented for City Council consideration and public hearing. The motion was seconded by Councilman Cavagnero and passed unanimously.
Discussion was also held on the City’s statutory authorization to waive any property tax due in an amount of less than $2.00 per Connecticut General Statute § 12-144c, which was included in the original draft ordinance. It was decided that this item should be removed from the proposed ordinance at this time.
An amended motion was made by Councilwoman Ruwet to remove the language from the proposed ordinance regarding the waiver of any property tax due in an amount of less than $2.00 and to present the proposed ordinance, as amended, to City Council for consideration and public hearing. The motion was seconded by Councilman Cavagnero and passed unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilman Cogswell moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilwoman Ruwet. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
/s/ Jaime M. LaMere, Esq.
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Jaime M. LaMere, Esq.
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