Taxes will rise $40 per $100,000 for homeowners
NAHUNTA — City of Nahunta officials approved raising its millage rate during a called meeting Friday.
During the course of three Public Hearings, the first held Monday, November 17 (10 a.m.) and two held Tuesday, November 18 (10 a.m., 6 p.m.), a total of nine residents were present.
A called meeting after the last Public Hearing at 7 p.m., Tuesday was cancelled with only Mayor Marty Lee in attendance.
A conference call was held Friday morning, November 21 with the council voting for the 12.494 millage rate — one mill higher than the 11.494 last year. It passed unanimously.
The increase will generate $124,148 — a 39 percent increase over last year. According to figures released by the City of Nahunta, the rollback at 10.019 mills would have brought in just $36,210.
“The 39 percent is for the whole city and what we will be taking in and not for each resident,” said the mayor during Tuesday’s last Public Hearing. “If we do this again, we will have something in the notes on the back of the page explaining what it means.
“We have rolled back the millage rate the last three years. Unfortunately, the cost of operations has increased.”
The figures released by City officials shows taxes for a $100,000 home will increase $40. The increase is $20 for each additional increase of $50,000 for home values.
“We’re making so many improvements in the city,” said Lee. “Infrastructure is always going to be costly. We’ve changed out all of the street lights and put in LED lights. All the iron pipes for water have been changed out. It’s just an upgrade for the whole city.”
City Manager Tom Wirth said there are expenses inside City Hall as well as giving residents a 24/7 police force.
“It costs a lot to operate City Hall,” he said. “We’ve moved from a police chief and a couple of part-time officers to a chief with five full-time and four part-time officers.”
Business owner Robert Wilson said there’s alot of apathy in the whole general population.
“People just don’t care,” said Wilson. “They don’t read newspapers and most don’t even know what’s going on in the community until something happens.”
City Clerk Angie Wirth has an official Facebook page residents can look at.
“By state law, I have to take screen shots and send it in,” she said. “All of that has to go to the state.”
