Commission delayed the property-tax vote because the hearing ad was wrong

Mayor Speedy opened the special budget hearing Thursday, September 24, and the commission put off the property-tax vote. Patty, who presented the budget, said the state office that checks tax-hearing ads called about 1 p.m. because the city's legal notice was wrong. She apologized. The state told them to hold the meeting, let people speak, run through the slides, and recess, so the vote could wait. The commission did that.

The rate on the slides would move from about $2.58 to $2.50 for every $1,000 of taxable value, roughly 8 cents less per $1,000. Patty said each tenth of a point on that rate is worth $234,875 to the city, and the cut they have lined up is a little smaller than that. She said the rate has been going down since 2020, and that the city no longer adds a separate property tax for old debt. On October 5 they are to put last year's rate beside the rate that would bring in the same dollars as last year, and beside the rate they want, and then vote. Thursday's hearing was the slides. The vote did not happen.

No resident spoke. After public comment closed, a commissioner said mail going around claimed the commission was raising taxes. The commissioner said taxes had gone down, applauded the board and Patty, and said to keep the rate where it is. A second member said they had been about to make the same point.

They praised a small cut they have not voted on. The wrong ad is why that vote has to wait for another night.

The matter is set for 5:45 p.m. Monday, October 5, at City Hall, 2200 A1A South.