Marion to keep tax option open
Staff writer
Although it’s not certain that Marion will exceed its revenue neutral rate for 2026, council members voted Monday to notify the county clerk that it intended to do so.
“You have to give notice that you may do it,” city administrator Bryan Wells told council members. “We want to keep our options open at this moment.”
The proposal reviewed by the council includes a mill rate of 70.728 and ad valorum taxes of $1,021,736.60. That would result in an overall tax increase of $97,663.59.
Less than $22,000 of that could be used on everyday expenses. The city was ordered last month to reimburse Marion County Record lawyer Bernie Rhodes $75,748 for legal bills after a district judge ruled that the city illegally withheld incriminating text messages subject to state open records law.
Notifications of intent to exceed revenue neutral rates must be delivered to the county clerk by July 20.
The clerk then is required to notify taxpayers by mail or email of all taxing subdivisions exceeding the revenue neutral rate at least 10 days before to the first budget hearing in the county.
A public hearing on the city’s exceeding of the revenue neutral rate is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 2.
A roll-call vote of council members to exceed the revenue neutral rate must be passed at the hearing, before the budget is adopted.
The city can formally adopt a budget any time after the resolution is passed but it must be certified and provided to the county clerk by Oct. 1.
In other business Monday night, the council learned that July will be the last month Marion will be in the recycling business.
Under an agreement with the city, Nisly Brothers will pick up recyclables every two weeks beginning in August.
Payment for recycling will be made to Nisly, not included in city utility bills.
A flyer in current utility bills explains the cost and procedures for signing up.