Public Hearing Thursday on Tax Hikes: Will Anyone Come?

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

May 29, 2013

Cape Charles taxpayers will have a chance to speak their minds on a proposed property tax increase at a public hearing 6 p.m. Thursday (May 30) at St. Charles Parish Hall, 550 Tazewell Avenue.

Town Council is considering two rate increases: The first would “equalize” the amount of tax collected to be the same as last year, even though real property assessments dropped 35 percent on average.

A second rate hike would result in an actual 8 percent increase in revenues over last year.

Last year’s Town tax rate was 18 cents per hundred dollars of value. This year’s equalization rate would be 26 cents, and the additional 8 percent hike would bring the total tax to 28 cents per hundred dollars.

A second public hearing will be held June 20 on the complete Town budget, including a proposed 50 percent sewer rate hike.

At last year’s public hearing on the tax rate and budget, only two members of the public attended. No written comments were received, and the only speaker was councilman-elect Frank Wendell.

At both the 2011 and 2010 public hearings, no member of the public attended and no written comments were received.

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Regarding the proposed 8 percent Town tax hike, Town treasurer Kim Coates has noted that although Town taxes would increase, County taxes are likely to decrease. Coates suggests that the County decrease could more than offset the Town increase, so that the total real estate tax bill for many Cape Charles property owners could be lower next year.

In order to hold Town taxes to an 8 percent increase, Town Council dropped cost of living raises for Town staff and is deferring maintenance on some Town properties. Council also plans to eliminate Town contributions to almost all community-funded activities, with the exception of the Volunteer Fire Department.

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One Response to “Public Hearing Thursday on Tax Hikes: Will Anyone Come?”

  1. Deborah Bender on May 29th, 2013 8:07 am

    I sure hope I am not the only citizen of Cape Charles that is concerned about this tax hike. Kim Coates “says” county taxes are likely to go down. Says who? One lot alone of ours decreased by more that 50 percent! And now we get to pay more taxes?
    This is a bum deal. Sewer rates going up by 50 percent — crazy! I sure hope some of the people that were “whining” about a tax increase because of a community center will come out on Thursday. Fact is they probably won’t because they have not been all riled up like they were last August :-( Maybe if the town needs money they could eliminate some of the dead weight in the office?

    All the public comments won’t make a bit of difference though because they never listen or respond to our comments. Sad indeed.