PAWTUCKET – There is no good time for a maximum tax increase, says City Council President Terry Mercer, but right now is the worst time to hit local taxpayers with that kind of bump.
The City Council is set to dig into Mayor Donald Grebien’s proposed budget for the coming year, planning a joint meeting of the finance subcommittee and council as a whole tonight, May 24, at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
The budget was calling for about a 3.8 percent increase before the administration was able to secure an agreement with the fire union last week on changes that will delay new positions and save about $270,000, noted Mercer.
That $270,000, based on the traditional $1 million of spending equaling $1 on the tax rate, would save about a quarter of 1 percent.
“I think we’ll find a few other places to reduce it,” Mercer told The Breeze. “I don’t know how much, but it’s just not a good time to be close to a max tax.”
He said the council will be looking under “every rock that we can” to achieve further savings in hopes of dropping the increase from close to the maximum legally allowed jump of 4 percent to “something below 3.”
The council at its meeting Wednesday evening is expected to grant first passage to the budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Pawtucket does not have new values to contend with from a revaluation this year, but the city is commencing the process on one that will take effect next spring with new values.
The Breeze reported last week that the proposed 3.8 percent increase on the tax levy, or total to be collected in taxes, would mean about a $100 annual increase for the average homeowner in Pawtucket. The new residential tax rate would go up from the current $16.58 to $17.11, or a 53-cent increase per $1,000 of value.
Among the major investments needing to be paid for through the budget are debt service for new schools, investments in public safety initiatives, continued paving, development of a new dog park, renovation of Fire Station 1, a switch to direct hauling for trash and recycling, and more improvements to the animal shelter and senior services.
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(2) comments
Once again, Pawtucket has proven it is a bucket.
The Pawtucket government again wants it's taxpayers to fund their mismanagement. RI democrats classic playbook.
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