Williams, Oddo wanted rollback; majority disagreed

A split City Council Friday voted 3-to-2 to increase taxes on property owners in the city.

After discussion, Councilman Jim Williams made a motion to roll back the millage rate, and Councilman Paul Oddo seconded the motion, but it failed on a 2-3 vote with council members Harlan Shirley, Kathaleen Brewer and Scott Stacy voting against it. A subsequent motion to keep the current millage rate passed 3-2 with the same votes on each side.

As mayor, Ed Johnson gets a vote only in the case of a tie and thus did not vote on the tax increase.

In August, Stacy had asked the city to analyze how much keeping the millage rate would affect his property. When he was told about $3 a month, he pointed to a water bottle, and said he was willing to pay that for increased public safety in the city.

The city is expected to gain just over $300,000 in increased revenues this year, which will be used to maintain salaries and benefits for nine firefighters who were hired with recently-expired SAFER Grant money, and help fund three police officer positions added to the force this year, said City Manager Ray Gibson.

The impact on a home valued at $150,000 is pegged at an extra $20 a year.