Henderson City Council backs recommended $0.55 tax rate, debates $75,000 McGregor Hall grant

Henderson City officials advanced their FY25 budget at a May 28 public hearing and work session, endorsing a recommended property tax rate of $0.55 while discussing a proposed one-year, $75,000 conditional grant for McGregor Hall and a possible property acquisition from the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation.

Mayor Melissa Elliott called the hearing to order at 6:04 p.m. and City Manager Edward T. Blackmon summarized that the proposed budget had been presented May 13 and that council adoption is anticipated at the June 10 regular meeting. Blackmon said worksheets prepared by Finance Director Joey Fuqua show revenue and homeowner examples under different rates: a $0.45 revenue-neutral rate yields an illustrative homeowner payment of $900, a $0.55 rate yields $1,100 and a $0.65 rate yields $1,300. The $0.55 rate was shown to produce roughly $1,334,519 in additional revenue versus $2,734,519 at $0.65. Blackmon recommended…