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Carl Junction aldermen adopt fiscal 2026 tax levy after brief public hearing
Summary
The Carl Junction Board of Aldermen voted 7-0, with one member absent, to adopt an ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026 tax levy, after a short public hearing in which a resident asked about the senior freeze exemption and city staff explained how assessments and rates interact.
The Carl Junction Board of Aldermen on Aug. 25 adopted an ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026 tax levy at a rate of 0.8026 per $100 of assessed valuation, voting 7-0 with one member absent. The move followed a brief public hearing and several procedural readings of the ordinance.
The action matters because the levy rate helps determine city property tax bills for residents, and several speakers addressed how a senior freeze exemption can change assessed values even when tax rates shift. The board approved the ordinance on final passage after first and second readings by title only.
During the public hearing portion of the meeting, a resident asked how the levy and reassessments would affect people who file for the senior freeze exemption. A City staff member explained that a senior freeze exemption “freezes the equalized assessed value” of an eligible property, but said, “This does not automatically freeze the entire amount of their tax bill as the EAV remains at the fixed amount. Tax rates may change.” The staff member also noted the freeze must be renewed annually and that county reassessments are handled by Jasper County.
Board members discussed the ordinance in three formal motions: a motion to place the ordinance on first reading by title only, moved by Board member Walter Hayes and seconded by Board member Roger Spencer; a motion for second reading by title only, moved by Hayes and seconded by Carol Wolford; and a motion for final passage, moved by Roger Spencer and seconded by Hayes. Each procedural motion carried. The clerk recorded seven affirmative votes and one absence on the final passage vote.
City staff provided a brief breakdown of levy components during the discussion, saying the general fund portion moved by –0.0327 per $100 assessed valuation while the general obligation portion moved by +0.0475, for a net increase of 0.0148 per $100 assessed valuation. The ordinance as read at the meeting described the levy as 0.8026 for each $100 of assessed valuation and allocated collections to the general fund and general obligation categories.
The ordinance was identified in meeting remarks as Ordinance No. 25-30 when the clerk announced its passage. No other public speakers rose in favor of or opposed the levy during the hearing. Following the ordinance vote, the board moved on and adjourned the meeting.
Meeting minutes and the enacted ordinance will serve as the official record for specific implementation dates and any administrative steps required by Jasper County or state rules.
