By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

Committee settles on tax increase of 50 cents

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Comments

Loretta

I feel so disappointed and disillusioned with our city leaders. It basically doesn’t matter what the people want but the opinions that matter sit in the city government chairs. Issues not put before the people are done so because they want what they want and if the people get to vote, city may not get its way. So many people have wisely and thoughtfully explained why we can’t and shouldn’t go forward with a new rec center at this time but instead of listening, “they” will waste money we don’t have to put it on the ballot. Our city appears reckless and wasteful, with a deaf ear toward its citizens. How very disappointing.

Dan Tucholsky

Loretta I ask you don't lump us all together. Look at my voting record and listen to my comments. I'm with the citizens.

CubFan


PART 1:

This is ridiculous. We have been duped by the city.
Let’s go back to what our taxes and fees looked like before any city “user fee” on the utility bills and before the new fire department levy. The tax rate was $5.02 per thousand and of that, $1.50 was allocated for the fire department. Assuming an average home value of $250,000, our taxes were $1255 per year, and that included the fire department. At that time, there were no “fees”.

The former city leaders did a giant CON JOB when they convinced us to vote for the fire department. They removed the $1.50 per thousand fire department assessment from the city tax rate and created a new fire district at a tax rate of $2.00 per thousand. BUT they retained the tax authority to continue to charge us the $1.50. They sold this scheme to us, by telling us they would hold back on the $1.50 per thousand, and ask taxpayers IF they should continue to charge that to us, and IF SO, what would we spend that money on? What a joke. They conducted a faulty, expensive citizen survey and claimed that citizens agreed to let the city continue to charge the $1.50. They ignored an independent survey conducted by the News-Register, (which was shared with the city) in which more than half of respondents wanted the city to stop the $1.50 tax.

So they conned us into not only voting for the new, more expensive fire department, but also they claimed the right to continue charging us the $1.50 assessment for the old fire department.

What does this mean for us citizens? That $1255 a few years ago will balloon to $1755 for a home valued at $250,000.

(To be fair, they city has only captured back $1.00 of the $1.50. But the financial outlook of the city tells us all that next year, they will increase to the maximum $1.50)

CubFan

PART 2:

Then in January 2023, the city told us they were in the hole almost $1.8 million and needed to assess an average $13 monthly fee on our utility bills to retire that shortfall. The city has collected enough to satisfy the original purpose of $1.8 million PLUS ANOTHER +$2 million from the utility user fees in 2024, and they continue to charge that fee.

City manager, Jeff Towery knew city income wasn’t keeping pace with expenses and he should have sounded the alarm a long time ago, instead of blaming it on outdated software.

This year, the city had to take a hard look at the budget and eliminate and reduce expenses. However, I don’t recall ANY mention of reduced WAGES…WHY NOT? WHY NOT? WHY NOT? Any business in this position needs to not only eliminate positions but also cut expenses, including wages. The average city employee makes $70,000 a year. That’s HUGE. Sell the RB Rubber property instead of continuing to pay interest on the loan!

Looking ahead, the city is talking about imposing a permanent fee for the stormwater system (estimated $15 a month). And they want to get voters to pass the Park & Rec bond, which is likely to be in the range of $400-$500 a year for the average taxpayer.

Who can afford this? Yet few people are talking about the kind of money the city expects average citizens to pay.

Then consider other rising costs: housing, insurance, utilities, groceries, medical, childcare, gas… nothing has gone down. Credit card debt has skyrocketed. This is not sustainable.

Mayor Morris, and Councilmen Chenoweth and Tucholsky continually acknowledge the burden on citizens, but they are outvoted on these issues by more progressive Councilors Peralta, Geary, Payne and Cunningham.

tagup

Cub- your forgot the most ironic decision by the city… adding a “cost of living” increase on the utility service charge!

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