The Kalispell City Council set a legislative agenda Monday night that includes support for legislation that would allow voters to decide whether to adopt a local option sales tax to offset the costs of maintaining city infrastructure that is used by nonresidents.

Council member Wayne Saverud noted that it was the first time he can recall the city council setting a formal agenda to pursue with lawmakers in Helena.

Mayor Mark Johnson said the resolution puts council members and city staff on the same page when it comes to talking to legislators.

“I believe these priorities are very important ... I believe firmly in bottom-up government,” he said. “We’re supposed to be the cheerleaders for our community and take these [issues] up to the higher levels of government.”

Johnson emphasized that the council’s support for legislation to allow municipalities to vote on local option sales tax doesn’t necessarily translate to support for such a tax.

“This would be voter-approved in the city,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to think we are going out to advertise for a [statewide] sales tax.”

Currently, state law does not allow for cities with populations greater than 6,000 to even consider adopting a sales tax. That threshold has been criticized as being entirely arbitrary.

Council member Jim Atkinson expressed support for a sales tax in Kalispell as a means to capture revenue from nonresidents, shore up infrastructure maintenance and provide property tax relief to city residents.

“It would take an awful lot of heat off the taxpayers,” he said.

Past attempts to broaden the ability of municipalities to adopt a sales tax have failed, so some regard it as a long-shot proposition. If legislation were passed, Atkinson noted, “there would be a lot of discussion” about any sales tax proposal for city voters to consider.

The council’s legislative agenda also includes support for any legislation that enhances tax increment financing and the creation of special districts, and legislation that would limit or remove regulations on municipal operations such as water production and wastewater treatment.

“Really, when you dig down into this it’s all about local control,” council member Phil Guiffrida said.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council unanimously approved a new three-year contract with the Kalispell Police Association. The current contract is set to expire at the end of June.

Base salary increases of 1.1 percent, 1.7 percent and 2 percent were approved for the next three fiscal years, along with longevity increases of 2.4 percent, 3 percent and 3.3 percent.

The estimated fiscal impacts of the agreement are $72,000 for 2015, $92,000 for 2016 and $104,000 for 2017.

City Attorney Charlie Harball said the city had “very productive discussions” with the police association since January. He said City Manager Doug Russell, who was not present, regards the contract as being competitive enough to retain officers and within the city’s fiscal means.

“He believes this fits well within our projected revenue,” Harball said.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].