City Council Proposes Tax Rate Decrease While Expanding Police Force

City officials announced a plan to lower the property tax rate for the 2025-2026 fiscal year while simultaneously expanding the local police department by five officers.

The proposed tax rate is set at 0.425744 per $100 of valuation, a slight decrease from the current rate of 0.426475. For a median-valued homestead of 338,000, the annual property tax bill is estimated at $1,445.03 if the proposed budget is adopted. Officials noted that the "no-new-revenue" tax rate for the same property would be $1,299.91.

To fund the expansion of the police force without raising taxes, the city intends to use one-time proceeds from a natural gas system sale to cover initial costs, including patrol cars, uniforms, and equipment. The five new positions are supported by a federal COPS grant totaling $500,000 over three years, though the city’s total share of the cost for that period is estimated at $2.5 million.

Police officials emphasized that the department is currently a "reactive" force, often operating with only two officers on the street. The expansion aims to shift toward proactive community policing.