Fayetteville's

spending plan for fiscal 2000 is now in place,

including a slight tax reduction.

If

the city's tax digest, a tally of all the taxable

property, has grown at the anticipated 7 percent

over the last year, property taxes will be

reduced by .05 mills from 3.52 mills to 3.47,

saving the owner of a $100,000 home about $2 a

year.

But

officials try to be conservative in their

estimates and are hoping for better than a 7

percent growth, said finance director Lynn Raven.

"More than likely when the tax digest comes

in we might be able to lower [taxes] even

more," she said. The county tax

commissioner's office will release those figures

toward the end of 1999.

Tax

bill this year for a $150,000 home will be about

$208, minus any exemptions, said City Councilman

Al Hovey-King as the council prepared to adopt

the budget Monday night. "I think that's a

very reasonable amount to pay," he said.

Council's

stated goal is to eliminate property taxes and

run the city on sales taxes, business license

fees and other taxes.

The

budget anticipates $6.9 million in general

operating expenses, up 8.47 percent from fiscal

1999. The budget for water service is $3.3

million; capital projects are projected to cost

$279,400 and the city's impact fee fund budget is

$233,100 - a total of $10.7 million.

The

spending plan includes a $55,000 early principle

payment on the city's bonded indebtedness.

In

other action during its regular meeting Monday,

the City Council:

Approved

Brent Scarbrough and Company's low bid of

$50,765.35 to move utilities for a realignment of

the Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard/Ga. Highway 92

intersection. Redesign and lighting for the

intersection have long been on Fayetteville's and

the state Department of Transportation's priority

lists, and the state recently informed the city

that it is ready to begin the work.

The

next lowest bid was almost $6,000 higher.

Approved

a conditional beer and wine license for new owner

Shahnaz Surani for the Texaco Food Mart at 765 N.

Glynn St. The license is conditional pending the

results of routine police investigations.

Appointed

Kathy Erickson of Erickson's Jewelers, on the

Courthouse Square, to the city's Main Street

Board of Directors. "I'm really looking

forward to working on the Main Street board and I

think there's a lot of really good things we can

do for the city of Fayetteville," said

Erickson.

The

Main Street Fayetteville organization works to

revitalize the city's downtown area.

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