Presenter explains certified tax rate, timelines for possible Fielding revenue increase

A municipal finance presenter told the Fielding Town Council that the local tax number residents call the "mill rate" is now computed as a certified tax rate and reflects the total revenue the town chooses to receive rather than a simple per‑unit levy.

The explanation matters because Fielding currently gets about $15,000 a year from property taxes — roughly 5% of the town's reported $301,000 annual budget — leaving much of the town's revenue dependent on sales taxes and grants, the presenter said.

The presenter said the certified tax rate is calculated from the amount of revenue the town sets, not directly from the property value percentage. “It is based on how much you want to receive from tax rates that year,” the presenter said, adding that the county sets hearing dates to avoid overlapping public hearings among all taxing entities. The presenter recommended notifying the county by March 1 if the council intends to contemplate a revenue increase, holding a required public hearing before June 22, and then taking a formal vote (likely in August) that, if approved, would not take effect until the following tax cycle (the next November tax bill).

The presenter gave numerical context to show why property tax revenue has not kept pace with rising costs: with the town getting $15,000 from property taxes, only about 5% of the budget is stable revenue, while municipalities typically aim for 15%–25% of revenue from property taxes. Using examples, the presenter said a $400,000 home in Fielding would generate roughly $71 a year in town property tax under current rates; larger sums homeowners see on their tax bills reflect other taxing entities such as school, county and special districts.

Council members asked procedural questions during the presentation about when funds become available, whether the council has to specify an amount in March and how long a voted increase takes to appear on tax bills. The presenter said the council need only notify the county by March 1 that it is contemplating a revenue increase (no amount required), follow the county’s public‑hearing schedule, and that any approved change would affect property tax collections in the next annual cycle.

The presenter also discussed alternatives and planning options: phased revenue increases over 20 years, use of bonds or fees (noting some bond approaches still rely on property tax revenue to service debt), and pursuing eligibility for FEMA mitigation funds if the town adopts required mitigation strategies. The presenter said some revenue tools — for example, certain sales taxes or special assessments — require council votes to enable them, and that Fielding currently has few of those options activated.

Council members and residents raised local priorities such as improved street maintenance, pothole repairs and expanded daytime fire coverage. The presenter said the town would need sustained revenue sources to restore services that were common 30 years ago, including more street maintenance and additional fire‑service coverage. The presenter offered to appear again to present the material at a public meeting and to provide handouts for public education.

The session included no formal vote on raising revenue; council members asked staff to follow up on timing and to coordinate with the county clerk’s office on the March notification and public‑hearing schedule.

Looking ahead, the council must decide whether to begin the Truth in Taxation process this year, which would commit the town to a public‑education and hearing schedule; if the council chooses to proceed, residents can expect at least one advertised hearing and an eventual vote that would, if approved, take effect on the next tax cycle.