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Wednesday, 21 June 2006 04:51 |
By DAVID FORBES
WEAVERVILLE ?? Weaverville Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to hold the town??s tax rate the same for the coming fiscal year, resulting in a tax increase of about 30 percent for many residents, as a result of rising property values.
Council also approved a 6 percent increase in the town water fee.
The additional funds are intended to cover the costs of increased services and a new fire station.
At Monday??s
meeting, council also unanimously voted to annex the Stoney Knob area,
which will be included in the town??s future service costs.
A brief public hearing prior to the meeting drew no comment on the $4.8
million budget, which kept intact the 43 cents per $100 property tax
rate.
?®We had an opportunity to hear from the public in the hearing ?? and we
had no comment,?∆ Mayor Mary ?®Bett?∆ Stroud noted in remarks just before
the vote.
However, before casting her vote in favor of the new budget,
Councilwoman Marcie Nisbeth noted that, while she regretted the higher
taxes, Weaverville must find ways to pay for the increased services
needed for the town to prosper.
?®I wish that we could lower the tax rate right now,?∆ Nisbeth said.
?®I??m not really that comfortable with a 30 percent increase. But I
spent a long time researching this budget ?? and I don??t really see
anything that can be cut out. We need all of this,?∆ Nisbeth noted.
In response to
the property revaluation throughout Buncombe County, the county and the
municipalities within it have grappled with what level of rate to set.
The City of Asheville has proposed adopting a revenue-neutral rate ??
lowering its tax rate to take in only as much money as it made last
year, plus projecting for growth.
In contrast, Buncombe County, citing the loss of manufacturing jobs and
the need to fund schools and fire departments especially, has proposed
not to adopt a revenue-neutral policy.
However, neither decision is final ?? and both the city and county will decide the final rates later in the month.
The approval of the annexation of the Stoney Knob area came without
comment from council, though in separate remarks, Town Manager Mike
Morgan did note that the town needed additional money in the budget for
next year to provide services to the new area ?? but that it will bring
additional revenues as well.
?®With the annexation, we??re taking into account the additional revenue
and expenses for this area,?∆ Morgan said. ?®That means we??ll have to
amend the taxes we get by $53,334, the DMV revenue by $5,400 and the
sales tax by $6,360. At the same time, we??ll have to increase fire
protection by $11,040, new sewer lines for $60,000 and then utilities
for $32,000.?∆
Ater the meeting, Morgan told the Daily Planet that the annexation of
the area is entirely separate from a series of annexations by the
nearby Town of Woodfin, which has been moving forward with efforts to
annex areas, including some within Weaverville??s extra-territorial
jurisdiction ?? a one-mile limit around the town where it can enforce
zoning regulations and provides certain services.
In May, Weaverville passed a resolution calling on Woodfin to not annex the areas within its ETJ.
However, the Woodfin Board of Aldermen was expected to approve the annexations at its meeting this past Tuesday night.
As for the 6 percent increase in the water fee that was approved during
the meeting, the town noted that it is intended partially to compensate
for reduced water fees to the Stoney Knob residents.
?®One of the reasons for this increase is that the Ivy Creek plant, by
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) mandate now has to pay an
additional $65,000,?∆ Morgan said.
?®Another reason is that the Stoney Knob residents will see their water
rates drop by half, now that they are within the town. We??ll lose about
$34,000 on that annexation just on the water side. That??s the reason we
need this increase,?∆ the town manager noted.
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