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Council stands pat on taxes
By DEVIN MONK, Staff writer
City services won out over lower taxes Monday night when council members voted, 5-2, to hold the city’s property tax rate at 71.5 cents per $100 of property valuation.
Mayor John Dillard and council members John Marshall, Kirk Mikulec, Perry Schrag, and Joel Marks voted in favor of maintaining the tax rate. Council members Allen Harris and Joe McCourry cast the dissenting votes.
Immediately before the final vote, a motion to lower the property tax rate a half cent to 71 cents failed, 3-4. Harris, McCourry, and Schrag voted for the reduction; Dillard, Marshall, Mikulec, and Marks nixed the proposal.
Resident Jeff Connolly, who spoke in favor of a half cent tax rate reduction before the votes, said residents don’t believe council members are interested in what they think about the rate and it has shown in their tax rate discussions this year.
Connolly also said a higher rate would turn away prospective businesses.
“How can The Colony seriously expect to compete to attract new business? If The Colony grows into something great, it will need to be done through private enterprise,” he said.
Council members also approved the 2007-08 fiscal year budget.
The city’s tax base rose 6.84 percent from last fiscal year, according to the Denton County Central Appraisal District. Property values increased $128 million from $1.88 billion to $2 billion, about $21.5 of which comes from new development in the city.
The city budgeted $703,000 for several positions and related expenses to be paid from the general fund. Three firefighter-paramedics, two police patrol officers, two police traffic officers, a police sergeant promotion, a warrant officer, electronic resource librarian, part-time athletic coordinator, and trail maintenance worker-playground inspector will be hired. A code enforcement officer, part-time lifeguard, and full-time court clerk also were budgeted.
General fund expenses also call for $200,000 for vehicle replacement, if necessary, $100,000 to replace a wall on the east end of North Colony Boulevard, $25,000 for an energy management system for City Hall, and $25,000 to replace the doors at the Police and Court Building and make a Recreation Center door ADA compliant.
Total general fund expenditures and transfers are estimated to be $20.86 million.
The city’s general and utility fund budgets will feature a 3 percent cost of living adjustment for all employees. The utility fund budget will provide for one full-time administrative position for the Utility Department.
The utility fund budget also calls for a 6.5 percent increase in water and sewer rates.
The city also plans to issue $6.5 million in a 20-year general debt issuance, $7.5 million in a 20-year utility debt issuance, and $750,000 in a five-year issuance.
The city also is setting aside $1.62 million for economic incentives at The Colony Economic Development Corp.’s disposal to attract new businesses.
The Community Development Corp. budget will include $300,000 for park improvements, $175,000 for hike and bike trails, and $250,000 in contingency funds. A $545,000 debt service payment for Five Star Athletic Complex is included in the budget.
Director of Public Works Steve Eubanks announced the first recycling rebate issued by Allied Waste. The $23,350 rebate covers the first three months of service from June to August and will be issued back to the city’s residential solid waste customers in October with an approximate value of $2.25. The city will then receive a monthly rebate which is estimated at 75 cents per customer.
After deliberating in closed session, council members authorized City Manager Dale Cheatham to terminate the city’s contract with Chaing, Patel and Yerby concerning the well site #3 ASR; and directed him to relocate previous payments toward the future payments and services on Office Creek Well Site #1 Improvements and Phase 1 of the residential water main design.
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