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Assessment Increases Boost Municipal Budgets
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The county is contributing $1 million in fiscal 2007 toward the new center on Route 28 at Edison Park Drive, Humpton said. The county's contribution is expected to rise to $2.5 million in fiscal 2008 and 2009.
The city also upgraded some contract employees to full-time status and added key personnel, such as three police officers, three public works employees and a construction code inspector, Humpton said.
"Our rate's still so low compared to other jurisdictions," Humpton said. "We're still a growing city."
In Takoma Park, the City Council on Monday adopted a $19.8 million spending plan. It includes general fund expenses of $17.7 million plus $2.1 million for storm water management and other programs.
The council did not change the property tax rate, which is 63 cents per $100 of assessed value. With tax assessments projected to rise in 2006 by 9.9 percent, officials would have needed to lower the rate to 57.3 cents to keep revenue the same. The City Council lowered the property tax rate last year by 3 cents, down from 66 cents per $100 of assessed value.
The council agreed to nearly double the city's storm water management fee -- which covers the cost of construction, operation and repair in managing runoff from rain -- to $48 a year per property owner. The base fee, which had been set at $28.63 in fiscal 1999, had not been enough to keep up with stricter environmental standards that the city is required to meet, City Manager Barbara B. Matthews told the council in her budget documents.
Takoma Park Mayor Kathy Porter said some residents argued for a reduction in the property tax rate this year, but others wanted to add services to the budget.
This year, for example, some residents asked for and the council agreed to spend $75,000 on a cross-border initiative with the District to prevent crime, Porter said. The District committed $75,000 to the program as well, she said.
The city also agreed to fund an additional code inspector to ensure that homeowners and businesses are keeping up their properties, Porter said.
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