(July 22, 2008) -- With less than 24 hours remaining before asking the City Council to put a more than half billion dollar property parcel tax on the ballot, LB Mayor Bob Foster, City Manager Pat West and senior management advocated the measure and fielded taxpayer Q & A at a Town Hall meeting Monday night called by 5th district Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske.

LBReport.com provides audio of some of the more pointed Q & A below.

Roughly 100 people attended the roughly two hour meeting at the El Dorado Senior Center, requiring additional chairs beyond expectation.

A number of residents objected to bringing the proposal to the ballot without prior public discussion. Others opposed the new the new tax until (paraphrase) City Hall got its financial affairs in order.

City management pointed to previous City Hall deficit reduction measures and cuts.

Mayor Foster argued that additional cuts couldn't support the magnitude of infrastructure projects now required...and said costs would increase with delays. (Hear extended portions of his responses in Q & A audio below.)

City Hall Dir. of Financial Management Lori Ann Farrell noted that single family residential properties that were owner/occupied by a person over 65 would be exempt from the parcel tax on filing an annual application for exemption. For separate LBReport.com coverage of this issue, click here.

LB Firefighters Ass'n president Rich Brandt and three female firefighters spoke in support, the women citing a lack of separate gender locker and toilet facilities. They were cooly received...with one audience member grumbling aloud, "You don't build a whole new fire station for a new toilet."

The Mayor and city management were politely received...but the strongest applause of the night came when a 5th district resident thanked Councilwoman Schipske for speaking up for taxpayers in the process.

To hear some of the more pointed Q & A, click here. (MP3 audio, "whoosh" sounds indicates an audio edit)