Lightning Bolt
Chanhassen History
Toys for Tots dance-off Dec. 14
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CHANHASSEN
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011
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Villager All’s quiet on taxing front
SANTA’S BIG ENTRANCE
BY RICHARD CRAWFORD editor@chanvillager.com
PHOTO BY RICHARD CRAWFORD
Santa Claus made a grand entrance to City Center Park in downtown Chanhassen Saturday during the annual tree lighting ceremony. Several hundred children and their parents gathered around the man dressed in red after he was escorted to the park on a Chanhassen Fire Department ladder truck. Snow began falling in the city shortly before Claus arrived. More photos of the event on page 7.
Tax hearings
More than halfway through the annual tax hearing season, residents appear content not to give an earful to elected officials. At the Carver County tax hearing last week, only one person showed up to address county officials and only one person spoke at the Chanhassen tax hearing Monday night. In recent years, tax hearings have been heated affairs as residents have worked to make ends meet in a depressed economy. The lone resident to attend the county hearing, former commissioner John Siegfried, had scolded the officials last year about needing to tighten spending. This year, he credited them for heeding his words and keeping spending down and the lid on taxes. Complicating the process this year was a state legislative change in how property taxes are calculated. To save about $260 million, legislators scuttled the homestead market value credit and instead introduced a homestead market value exclusion. As a result, Carver County lost about $1.4 million in state aid designed to reduce the property tax burden. After the change, the county redirected state funding that had been geared for capital expenditures to help cover the loss in state aid. As a result, generally speaking, the county portion of property taxes homeowners pay has been kept flat. The short and quiet county tax hearing was called “unprecedented” by County Administrator David Hemze.
Already conducted: Carver County, city of Chanhassen, Minnetonka School District. Upcoming: School District 112 — 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, District Education Center, 11 Peavey Road, Chaska. City of Victoria — 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, Victoria City Hall, 7951 Rose St., Victoria. Local property taxes support city, county and the local school district as well as watershed districts and the mosquito control district. At the Chanhassen tax hearing Monday, the story was similar. Chanhassen attempted to keep taxes flat for residents and is planning to spend $40,000 more in its general fund next year. The budget includes employee salary increases of 1.5 percent. Chanhassen resident Rolland Neve said the city could keep spending at a zero percent increase by not offering salary increases in a tough economy. Chanhassen Finance Director Greg Sticha explained about 20 percent of property taxes go to the city, while 30 percent go to the county, 44 percent go to the school district (District 112) and 5.5 percent to the smaller jurisdictions. Sticha said while the city portion of property taxes are expected to stay close to flat next year, the legislative change makes it challenging
Tax to page 2 ®
The training wheels are off Chan 8-year-old nationally ranked BY UNSIE ZUEGE uzuege@swpub.com
At only 8 years old, Jennifer Mettler of Chanhassen already has an awesome array of trophies stockpiled in her house. Add to it the hefty one she just brought home from the American Bicycle Association’s BMX Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. Jennifer fi nished in 5th place in the 8-year-old age group, and is 5th in the ABA’s National Age Group for 2011. The slightly built 8-year-old is fearless on the BMX track, and hasn’t let any spills or falls deter her competitive nature. According to her father, Mark Mettler, Jennifer’s drive to win was apparent at an early age during fierce board-game battles. “While there were Minnesota girls
of nearly every age group from under 5 to over 17 at Grands,” Mark said, “Jennifer was one of only four girls who made it through the qualifying rounds to Sunday’s main event with eight finalists competing for the championship.” According to the ABA website, there were a record 603 fi rst-round qualifying races (all ages, boys/girls, men/women) at this year’s event. Next year’s competition promises to be even larger as a result of a recent merger of A BA BM X (American Bicycle Association) out of the Midwest and Southwest United States, and the smaller NBL BMX (National Bicycling League). During the last BMX season, Jennifer competed in the junior category of the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series and raced against other 8-9 year old girls in the Ore-to-Shore Junior Rock event in Marquette, Mich. In that race, she placed fi rst and beat last year’s 6-7 year old winner by
Getting to know Name: Jennifer Mettler Age: 8 Home: Chanhassen School: Third grader at Bluff Creek Elementary School Family: Parents Mark and Tetyana Mettler Achievement: Recently won 5th place at American Bicycle Association’s BMX Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Okla.
1.9 seconds. Both girls beat all the 9-year-olds. “I like flying over the hills, getting trophies, and rewards and plaques that say I’m really good,” Jennifer said during a recent interview at her home. “That’s why I like it. I like to see who’s the best BMXer.”
PHOTO BY UNSIE ZUEGE
Jennifer Mettler, 8, of Chanhassen recently took 5th place at the American Bicycle Association’s BMX Grand Nationals competition, adding one more trophy to her collection. Read more about Jennifer in this week’s Three Qs on page 22.
VOL. 25, ISSUE 10/49
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