City Council Meeting 08/31/09 (Tax Rates, Housing Board)
Published: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, C-T

City Approves 2009 Tax Rates

Chillicothe City Council members unanimously approved the 2009 tax rates following a public hearing during their regular meeting Monday night at City Hall. Taxes will increase over last year’s rates, netting the city an estimated increase of $7,492 in property tax revenues. The increase — which amounts to about 2 cents per $100 assessed valuation — was determined by computations from the state auditor’s office and are in compliance with state statutes, according to City Administrator Dean Brookshier.

The proposed rate for the General Fund is $0.6608 per $100 assessed valuation (up from the current rate of $0.6451) and the tax rate proposed for Parks and Recreation for 2009 is $0.1857 per $100 assessed valuation (up from the current rate of $0.1813). This year’s total assessed valuation of $88,407,569 is down from last year’s valuation of $89,651,256. With the increase, the 2009 rate is estimated to generate $584,197.22 in real estate tax revenues and $164,172.86 in personal property tax revenues, for a combined total of $748,370.08.

No one from the public made comments during the public hearing; however, before the vote was taken, a few council members stated that they had received a complaint from someone who is on a fixed income and was opposed to the increase. The person making the complaint had stated that the city should not increase the tax because Social Security benefits were not increasing.

Also Monday, the council approved the mayor's appointments of Sharon Petree and Mike Hibner to the housing board. They also approved an ordinance accepting a contract with the Livingston County Health Center for health inspector services. The council also recognized F.R. Bailey, who was retiring off the Housing Board after having served the maximum of eight years.

Mayor Haney presided over the council meeting with the full council in attendance.