Marion cuts spending, keeps tax rate same
Staff writer
Hearing no comments on the proposed 2019 budget at Monday’s public hearing, Marion city council members approved the $10,374,150 proposed budget. The budget is $4,029,174 less than the estimated 2018 budget, yet keeps the estimated tax rate at 71.079 mills.
For each $1,000 in fair market value, one mill adds 30 cents to a tax bill for a vehicle, farm, or other small business and 11½ cents to the tax bill for a residence.
At 71.079 mills:
- The owner of a home with a fair market value of $82,600 pays $9.50 in tax for each mill, or $675.25 in city taxes.
- The owner of a $5,000 car pays $1.50 for each mill, or $106.62.
- The owner of a $500,000 business pays $150 for each mill, or $10,661.85.
Council members voted unanimously to condemn property at 305 S. Lincoln St.
The property was first brought to the attention of the council in May, and council members voted in June to set Monday as a hearing on the property.
The property owner, Joyce Helzer, didn’t appear for the hearing.
Either the property owner must demolish the property by Oct. 8 or the city will demolish it and charge the costs to the property.
Council members declined in June to renew partnership with KPTS because a commercial to be aired 36 times was never shown, and the matter was revisited Monday.
No change was made to the earlier decision.
In a June 4 letter sent to the mayor, council members, and city administrator, KPTS sales specialist Ted Essex wrote that the 36 30-second spots not shown last year were being shown.
City council members decided at the time to wait for all spots to run and then revisit whether to renew sponsorship.
Economic development director Randy Collett recommended council members take no action until the city has documentation that the spots have run. He’d seen them run a couple times, but did not know if the full number had run, he said.