On an evening when Burien lawmakers were entertained by a citizens group “dreaming of a better Burien,” council members wrestled with how to maintain services without raising taxes or dipping into city reserves.

Cameras were in abundance at the beginning of the Oct. 15 council meeting as the group sang a reimagined version of “Imagine,” complete with choreography.

Kirt Holzmuller, speaking for the group named “Dreaming of a Better Burien” said lawmakers shouldn’t settle for apartments only development on the vacant Town Square parcels.

Harbor Urban, developers of Town Square, has proposed apartments on the vacant parcels. They maintain there is not a current market for more condominiums at the site. The developers and the city have until Nov. 15 to reach an agreement.

Holzmuller suggested arts-related development such as an art theatre, boutique hotel, gallery, kids museum or other regional attractions.

“We want to ensure the long-term health of the city,” Holzmuller declared.

Resident Robbie Howell said she wants to see Burien expand its arts and environmental offerings to attract new residents.

“We will see people want to move here because they will have something to move to,” Howell said.

In council business, council members heard a staff recommendation to give a one time funding of $6,000 to Catholic Community Services and $2,000 each to the Highline and White Center food banks.

At the Oct. 1 meeting, lawmakers directed that $10,000 be used from the Human Services contingency fund for one-time contributions.

Lori Fleming, finance analyst, said two dental programs that had applied for funding are not located near Burien so staff recommended funding go elsewhere.

Council members continued their discussion of the preliminary 2013-2014 budget. The council is planning on adopting the final budget on Nov. 5.

Finance director Kim Krause reported that preliminary figures from King County indicated property valuations in the city went down 5.3 percent over last year, instead of the projected 6.9 percent.

She noted property values are still not expected to return to 2011 levels until 2021.

Projected revenue for the general fund has increased by $268,750 but the city will still need to use $1 million from reserves to balance the 2013-2014 budget, Krause said.

Councilmember Joan McGilton said she is still struggling with the idea of dipping into reserves.

She noted she’s read about Normandy Park taking money out of reserves for several years and now asking its residents to approve a property tax levy lid lift.

Dipping into Burien’s reserves could be “the first step in a slippery slope,” McGilton said.

She suggested revisiting a staff proposal to impose a 6 percent franchise fee on the transmission portion of Seattle City Light rates. That would raise $2million in additional revenue over two years.

Lawmakers had rejected the staff recommendation at their Sept. 24 meeting.

Councilmember Gerald Robison replied that Burien’s City Light customers are already paying an extra fee for undergrounding of lines along First Avenue South. Puget Sound Energy customers do not pay the fee.

Robison said adding another fee for City Light customers “doesn’t seem fair to me.”

He said the city should dip into reserves for the next two years and use that time to figure out how to solve Burien’s structural deficit.

“I don’t want to be Normandy Park,’ McGilton replied.

City Manager Mike Martin declared, “the facts are you won’t find places to reduce expenses without seriously reducing services.”

Burien revenues are likely to stay the same for a while with property tax revenues not recovering for another decade, Martin added.

McGilton noted the Better Burien group was pressing the city to build new arts facilities. To do this, the city would need to increase taxes or add a special levy, she said.

Robison replied the group was not asking for city funds. By encouraging improvements in Burien, the city will reap more tax revenues, he noted.

Councilmember Jack Block Jr. proposed several cuts, including eliminating the city newsletter, withdrawing from the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce and reducing expenses for the city’s 20th anniversary celebration.

To raise more revenues, Block suggested adjusting business and occupation taxes, using business license fees to pay for an expanded economic development study, not moving the solid waste fees from the general fund and increasing car tab fees by $10.

“This is not a crisis, this is an opportunity,’ Block said.

However, Block was not able to garner support from his colleagues for his suggestions.

Council members also discussed the city’s federal and state legislative priorities.

City Manager Martin said Burien has two main legislative priorities.

The first is to press for $10 million in federal and state support for the State Route 518/Des Moines Memorial Drive interchange project.

A new freeway interchange is expected to protect commercial development along Des Moines Drive, including an auto dealer mall.

Martin also said the city would work with the Port of Seattle to receive $5 million in a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program for construction in the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA.)

He noted that Congressional earmarks do not exist anymore, thus completely changing how federal lobby is done.

Martin also announced that single-family home customers of Waste Management will receive a $10 credit on their bill for disruption of garbage service during this summer’s labor strike.