Photo by Michael Whitney.
MONROE — The City Council’s members, during their July 9 meeting, discussed preparing a resolution for action on July 23 to place a property tax levy lid lift on this November’s ballot.
In June, the council deliberated on a levy lid lift ballot measure to increase property taxes by more than 1%. The state limits property tax levy rates from increasing more than 1% annually without a ballot measure.
The idea behind this measure is aimed at funding park maintenance and a permanent Community Service Officer position in the Police Department. Monroe’s parks, grappling with reduced staffing since the 2008-09 recession, require enhanced upkeep due to aging infrastructure and higher usage. Some council members suggested financing parks through a sales tax to distribute costs, despite past legislative challenges. The council also considered exemptions for seniors and disabled individuals to mitigate the levy lift’s financial impact.
Last week, some council members expressed concerns about the levy’s potential burden on Monroe taxpayers.
“I just have a hard time with the citizens of Monroe bearing all the costs for the parks when there’s significant usage from the county. There’s a piece of me that wonders if we should explore other options,” City Councilmember Jason Gamble said at the July 9 meeting.
Councilmember Heather Fulcher sympathized with Gamble’s point but also stressed the urgency of addressing parks and recreation staffing issues.
“I do believe that our parks department needs a substantial infusion of funds for numerous necessary improvements, including personnel. I would like us to prepare a resolution for action to place this measure on the ballot,” Fulcher said.
Councilmember Tami Beaumont emphasized the importance of informing the public about the reasons behind the levy lift.
“I think it’s crucial to inform the public that we are not arbitrarily adding positions to our park staff. We’ve been operating at a deficit for many years and have managed it well, but we need to return to previous staffing levels. If the public understands that this will improve services, it’s a critical piece of information to include in all communications about the levy,” Beaumont said.
A possible decision to place the measure on the ballot may occur at the July 23 council meeting which starts at 7 p.m. at the Monroe School District Administration Building, 14692 179th Ave. SE. The council’s deadline to do so is early August.
