Carbonado council takes comment on proposed tax hikes
Published 4:33 pm Thursday, April 30, 2009
By Jessica Keller, The Courier-Herald
Carbonado residents have the opportunity to speak on proposed Emergency Medical Services and property tax levies they may vote on in November's general election.
During the Carbonado Town Council meeting Monday - which begins at 7 p.m. in the town hall - there will be a public hearing on proposed EMS and property tax levies.
Carbonado is proposing its residents vote on increasing both EMS rates and property taxes. Carbonado residents would pay a property tax increase of 41 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value on each levy. Residents currently pay $1.64 per $1,000 in property taxes and, for the owner of a $200,000 home, the property tax and EMS increase would total $164 a year. This is the first time the town proposed an EMS levy.
Carbonado Town Councilman Jay Argo said like other small cities and towns, Carbonado has lost money each year through Tim Eyman-sponsored, voter-approved initiatives.
And because Carbonado is so small, it doesn't have commercial or retail sources to draw from and has no revenue other than property taxes, he said.
The town is considering asking for $10,000 from property taxes and $10,000 from the EMS levy. Argo said the council looked at its budget, looked at the losses the town has suffered and came up with those numbers. He said Carbonado has lost between $20,000 to $25,000 a year since the initiatives have passed.
"This is the amount we need to raise to stop the red ink and remain where we're at," Argo said.
Argo said if the economy gets better rates may go back down, but since the economy is weak, the town doesn't want to wait until it is in as bad of shape economically as other cities and towns.
The 41 cent per $1,000 of assessed value is not a firm figure, Argo said, because the town was informed by the state's assessors office that property values have increased in the area, and the town is waiting for the numbers to be released before deciding an exact rate. Argo said, however, if the numbers are not released before Monday's council meeting, the increase will be (at most) 41 cents per $1,000 valuation.
Because the town is asking for $10,000 from property taxes and EMS, if the 41 cents per $1,000 would bring in additional money due to the property value increases, the extra funds would automatically be returned to Carbonado residents.
Argo said the money from the EMS levy would go toward maintaining the current level of service the town provides for emergency medical aid and for training Carbonado's EMTs. Part of the funds would also be used to offset maintenance costs to Carbonado's new fire hall when it is completed.
Argo is confident the EMS levy will pass because of the importance of medical aid services and to maintain the level of service citizens expect. "We don't know unless we ask, and we're not asking for a lot," he said.
Argo said the council tried to come up with an increase that wouldn't be too big, to keep the impact minimal on the community.
"We have to do something, that's all," he said.
Jessica Keller can be reached at jkeller@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald
