Eureka City Council adopts $36,007.82 tax increase after truth-in-taxation hearing

The Eureka City Council voted to adopt a tax increase that would generate $36,007.82 in additional revenue following a truth-in-taxation hearing on Aug. 25, 2025.

Councilman Jeremy Snell, who opened the council’s staff-led discussion of the hearing, said the council needed to adopt a figure “somewhere in between” the certified rate and the proposed rate to move forward. “I just looked at it… the certified rate… point triple 0 0 8 7 8. The proposed rate that would include that $36,000 of revenue… is point double o 15 12,” he said during the hearing.

The nut graf: Council members expressed disagreement over whether to take the full requested increase, but most said the city needs additional recurring revenue to maintain or expand services. After discussion and motions, the council adopted the higher revenue amount proposed by staff.

Council debate and context Council members described competing concerns: the burden on taxpayers versus the need to restore city services and create capacity for new work. Councilman Tom Nederberg argued that the city has been underfunded and needs ongoing revenue to “dig ourselves out of this hole,” and said the money would stay in the community. “I will go with the general consensus of the council, but we need to dig ourselves out of this hole,” Nederberg said.

Several council members urged moderation; one councilor suggested a reduced target between $22,000 and $33,000, saying the council could try to find cuts elsewhere in the budget. Council member Kimberly Clements cast the lone recorded vote against the proposed amount.

Formal action and vote A motion to approve the tax increase as proposed (listed in the record as 36007 82) was made by Councilman Jeremy Snell and seconded on the floor. The council then conducted a roll call.

Roll call recorded in the meeting transcript: - Councilman Scott Pugh: Aye - Councilman Travis Haines: Aye - Councilman Tom Nederberg: Aye - Council member Kimberly Clements: Nay - Councilman Jeremy Snell: Aye

After the roll call the mayor announced the truth-in-taxation action passed.

Why it matters The adopted increase creates a new recurring revenue stream for the city budget. Council members said the additional funds would help pay for ongoing functions the city has struggled to fund, including code enforcement and recruitment/retention for positions such as a city manager. Several council members emphasized the permanence of a tax-rate decision: once set, the additional revenue becomes part of the base the city must account for in future budgets.

Votes at a glance (formal actions from this meeting) - Adopt truth-in-taxation amount tied to $36,007.82 additional revenue — Motion passed (4–1). Mover: Councilman Jeremy Snell; second: recorded. (See provenance below.) - Other formal votes taken at the meeting are listed in a separate article and summarized in the council’s meeting minutes.

Ending Council members thanked residents who attended and commented during the hearing; several said they hope the investment will produce visible improvements within a year. “I appreciate the citizens showing up, and I appreciate comments on both sides of it,” Snell said after the vote.