Tuesday, July 06, 2010

July 6, 2010 City Administrator Cox Has First Reading to Increase City's Property Tax Rate on TODAY'S City Council Agenda

At today's City Council meeting at 4:00 PM, City Administrator Tony Cox is asking the Mayor and Council to change the $0.98 tax rate that they passed just a little over two weeks ago to the maximum state certified rate of $1.05. Cox has set a public hearing and second reading two days later on July 8!

Cox presented the council with a budget and tax rate of $0.98 in June. Cox's proposed budget also included a NEW $10/month garbage fee for Morristown residents. [Garbage costs have not gone up. Garbage pick-up has been a part of the city general budget for years and has been paid for with tax monies. This new "fee" is simply a way of taking more money from the residents to pay for a service that they already pay for with taxes.]

On June 17, Mayor Barile and five councilmembers (Bob Garrett, Claude Jinks, Doc Rooney, Frank McGuffin, and Kay Senter) voted for the budget and the $0.98 tax rate. Those same individuals (less McGuffin who abstained) voted for the new $10/month garbage fee. Councilmember Gene Brooks voted "NO."

Now, Cox is saying "oops" and is asking the Mayor and Council for a tax rate do-over to increase the recently passed tax rate to $1.05.

A more complete post on this proposed "amended" increase is printed in an earlier post today or click here.

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