Tawas City lowers taxes for next year
by Jason Ogden

TAWAS CITY - Residents of Tawas City will pay a little less in property taxes next year.

The Tawas City Council, at its meeting Monday, passed a resolution to levy 18.2216 mills for the 2008-09 fiscal year. The millage, which includes the general operating millage of 16.2216 mills and the sewer debt millage of two mills, is .5 mill less than last year’s at a rate of 18.7216.
Mayor Duane Walters said he believed this is something residents of the city needed. He also pledged to lower the millage by .5 mill for the next four years, if it is fiscally possible.

For a $100,000 home with a taxable value of $50,000, this year’s share of the millage would be $936.08, or 18.7216 multiplied for every $1,000 of taxable value on the home.

With the millage cut, that homeowner would pay $911.80, a difference of $25 less for next year’s taxes.

Councilman Brent Babcock said this measure would help the council save more money and spend it more wisely.

“This puts us on a shoestring budget,” he said.

According to Annette Corey, the city’s treasurer, this lowered millage will cost the city an estimated $31,000 next year in tax money which would normally have been collected.

In addition to the passing of the resolution, there was also a public hearing on the city’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

This year, the general fund is expected to come in at $1,631,825 in revenues, with $1,614,970 in expenditures.

During the session, former Mayor Ed Nagy, wanted to discuss where chunks of the city’s money was going, specifically what was going to be done about certain sections of roads that needed paving.

According to Moers, the roads have been assessed and starting in July will be fixed according to need. He said many of the roads will not be fully paved, but patched with a four-inch layer of asphalt.

In addition to the passing of the resolution, there was also a public hearing on the city’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

This year, the general fund is expected to come in at $1,631,825 in revenues, with $1,614,970 in expenditures.

During the session, former Mayor Ed Nagy, wanted to discuss where chunks of the city’s money was going, specifically what was going to be done about certain sections of roads that needed paving.

According to Moers, the roads have been assessed and starting in July will be fixed according to need. He said many of the roads will not be fully paved, but patched with a four-inch layer of asphalt.

Moers said this was because other more expensive maintenance jobs, such the installation of water, sewer and storm drainage lines, needed to be done in the area beforehand.

He said the roads included a section of Mathews Street, Ninth Avenue, Victoria Street, Sixth Avenue and Whittemore Street.

According to Walters, by the time bids are approved for those roads the construction could begin as soon as July 1.