The Porterdale city council agreed to roll back the city's millage rate at its regularly scheduled meeting Monday night.
The decision, which was unanimous, will essentially do nothing to affect taxes - it will keep them as they are currently, taking into account the change in property taxes. The rate is currently 8.776 and the rollback will make it 8.764.
"Is more of a rollback not something we should consider?" asked Council member Linda Finger.
"This is from the state," replied Mayor Bobby Hamby. "This is what they suggest we do - a rollback so that there isn't an increase in taxes."
Mayor Pro Tem Robert Foxworth spoke up, asking if the council should perhaps consider a slight increase in millage.
"I know this is going to be unpopular," he said. "And I know everybody has a burden on them now with the economy the way it is - the city certainly does. It's affected the city a great deal, we're cutting jobs and cutting hours back and everybody's hurting. I thought maybe a 1 percent increase may not hurt too bad, but that don't sound too good to the rest of the council," he said.
The council had previously discussed the possibility of raising the mil by 1 percent and decided they would rather not raise taxes at all if it were possible.
"I'm not in favor of a big increase," Foxworth said. "But I think a 1 percent increase wouldn't hurt. I would rather pay $30-$40 extra to keep the quality of the services we have. I would be more than happy to pay that to keep our services up."
Though the council took Foxworth's comments into consideration they decided to do as the state recommended and roll the mileage rate back to 8.764 and not increase the taxes.
The decision, which was unanimous, will essentially do nothing to affect taxes - it will keep them as they are currently, taking into account the change in property taxes. The rate is currently 8.776 and the rollback will make it 8.764.
"Is more of a rollback not something we should consider?" asked Council member Linda Finger.
"This is from the state," replied Mayor Bobby Hamby. "This is what they suggest we do - a rollback so that there isn't an increase in taxes."
Mayor Pro Tem Robert Foxworth spoke up, asking if the council should perhaps consider a slight increase in millage.
"I know this is going to be unpopular," he said. "And I know everybody has a burden on them now with the economy the way it is - the city certainly does. It's affected the city a great deal, we're cutting jobs and cutting hours back and everybody's hurting. I thought maybe a 1 percent increase may not hurt too bad, but that don't sound too good to the rest of the council," he said.
The council had previously discussed the possibility of raising the mil by 1 percent and decided they would rather not raise taxes at all if it were possible.
"I'm not in favor of a big increase," Foxworth said. "But I think a 1 percent increase wouldn't hurt. I would rather pay $30-$40 extra to keep the quality of the services we have. I would be more than happy to pay that to keep our services up."
Though the council took Foxworth's comments into consideration they decided to do as the state recommended and roll the mileage rate back to 8.764 and not increase the taxes.
