HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-22-25 Public Comment - M. Bateson - Increase the 3% Tree Maintenance Special Assessment IncreaseFrom:Mary Bateson
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Increase the 3% Tree Maintenance Special Assessment Increase
Date:Tuesday, July 22, 2025 9:30:44 AM
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Dear City Staff and Commissioners,
Last week I received the Notice that there will be a hearing on August 5, 2025 onthe adoption of a Commission Resolution Levying a Special Assessment to defraythe cost of maintaining publicly owned trees.
I realize that increasing taxes is quite an unpopular concept, but I believe that therequested 3% increase is woefully inadequate if the City of Bozeman is to maintainits urban forest. Once again, I am relying on my reading of the 2016 BozemanUrban Forestry Management Plan, and also on personal observation. It seems theForestry Department can only do minimal trimming on trees and that they only getto trees on an infrequent schedule (every 13 years according to the 2016 report). Itis just not enough! This department needs to be able to step up their game. Theymust have funding in order to do that!
Currently the rate of inflation is approximately 2.9%, so a 3.0% increase is basicallyno increase! So, will the city continually request these paltry increases that do notincrease the capacity for maintenance?
Or can Bozeman, a “Tree City USA”, put its money where its mouth is? Can weinvest in our Urban Forest? I hope so! Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
Mary Bateson, Bozeman resident