Marietta council approves millage rate with no increase after public hearings

Marietta City Council on Wednesday approved the city's millage rates and a consent agenda after a series of legally required public hearings and staff briefings.

The approval followed three public hearings required by state law. City staff said they received only a few phone and email inquiries and no in-person objections at the hearings. Daniel Haney, a city staff member who conducted the hearings, told council that the primary public questions were whether the city was raising taxes and how the changes would affect individual taxpayers. "The answer to those questions, as you may be aware, is that we are not increasing, across the board," Haney said.

The council put most routine matters on a consent agenda to expedite the meeting. The consent agenda passed unanimously. Council later took a separate vote to adopt the millage package.

Why it matters: Local millage rates determine the city portion of property tax bills and are a key part of the municipal budget. City staff emphasized compliance with state advertising and hearing requirements and said the current package will not raise the city's millage rates.

Supporting details: Haney said staff held hearings on July 2 (two sessions) and a final hearing the morning of the council meeting. He said staff received a small number of calls and emails asking whether the millage was increasing; those inquiries were answered with the city's explanation that the proposed action does not raise the millage.

The consent agenda included routine minutes, appointments and other noncontroversial items that council members had reviewed in prior meetings.

The council vote: Council approved the consent agenda and the millage package during the meeting. The consent vote was recorded as seven-zero on the consent items; the millage action was recorded as approved by council.