MT. VERNON — Mt. Vernon residents voiced their opposition to a 13-percent property tax hike on the city’s portion of the property tax bill Monday night at a truth in taxation hearing before Monday night’s city council meeting.
City manager Mary Ellen Bechtel is recommending the tax hike to the council to cover a state-mandated pension payment increase of almost a half million dollars for the coming year.
Dan Black is the President of the group Concerned Citizens of Jefferson County. He says the city shouldn’t be putting this burden on the taxpayer.
Mt. Vernon mayor John Lewis says as a taxpayer, he doesn’t want to be raising taxes any higher. But he says no matter what, the state is going to get the half-million dollars.
The council had their first reading of the property tax levy ordinance at Monday night’s meeting. The ordinance will have its second reading and be acted on at the council’s next meeting on Monday, December 2nd.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the council voted to purchase two dump trucks from Truck Center, Inc. of Mt. Vernon for just under $180,000.