Huntsville Tax Could Jump 300%

August 18, 2005

HUNTSVILLE — Meeting in special session on August 8, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen here approved the first reading of an ordinance that would quadruple the town’s property tax rate.

Ordinance #05-08-02, which is the town’s tax levey for Fiscal Year 2005-2006, passed by a 4-1 vote of the board, with Alderman Wesley Riggins casting the lone dissenting vote. The ordinance calls for the town’s property tax rate to jump from 19 cents per $100 of assessed value to 75 cents per $100 of assessed value, an increase of nearly 400 percent.

While the board’s decision reportedly didn’t draw objection from members of the public present at the meeting, several Huntsville residents have since stepped forward to voice their objection to what they call “too much” of a tax increase. A petition is circulating in the town, seeking signatures from Huntsville residents, opposing “any increase in the Town of Huntsville property taxes in response to the Town of Huntsville’s budget crisis.”

The petition calls for the “Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Huntsville to put an immediate end to the tactics of intimidation,” but doesn’t specify what those alleged tactics are. It goes on to state that “we are opposed to the fact that Huntsville meetings do not allow the opportunity for the general public to voice their concerns and opinions.”

Mayor George Potter defended the tax rate increase in a telephone interview Monday morning, pointing out that the town has not seen a tax rate since it was incorporated in 1965.

“The Town of Huntsville’s never had a tax increase,” Potter said. “(But) we’re having to build on to the fire hall, we need to blacktop some roads, and we need to raise our revenue just like any other business.”

Like everything else, the mayor said, the town’s revenue must increase over time.

“In ‘65, a hamburger was 25 cents,” Potter said. “We’ve got fuel going up, electric is up, professional services are up, and everything we’re talking about is up, so we have to be able to have enough money to do the services for the town, such as garbage pickup, fire department, streets and mowing.”

Citizens who have expressed their opposition to the proposed tax increase — as well as those in favor of the tax increase — will have the opportunity to let their opinions be known when the board convenes in regular session on August 29. After a public hearing, which is required by the state when any ordinance is being considered, the second and final reading of the tax levy ordinance will be considered by the board.

“Our meetings are always open to the public and we invite any citizen to come before the board and express their thoughts and concerns,” Potter said, in response to the petition’s allegation that the public is not able to voice concerns at the board’s meetings.

In addition to the tax levy ordinance, the board also passed the first reading of Ordinances #05-07-01 (adopting a zoning map), #05-08-01 (amended budget for FY2004-05) and #05-08-03 (proposed budget for FY2005-06) at the August 8 special session.

Potter said the board’s regular monthly meeting, typically held on the fourth Monday of the month, was moved back to August 29 because of the state’s mandatory 15-day waiting period before the second reading of an ordinance can be considered.

By comparison to the town’s proposed 75-cent property tax, the Town of Oneida’s property tax is 90 cents. The Town of Winfield does not have a property tax, but gains its revenue primarily through beer taxes.

news@ihoneida.com

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