Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget And Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adopts tax levy, abates bond levy and OKs TIF deal for downtown redevelopment
Summary
The council abated a 2025 automatic levy tied to $4.735 million in GO bonds, adopted the 2025 municipal property tax levy (taxes payable 2026) 6–2, approved a TIF redevelopment agreement for 104–106 North Main Street, and approved a $218,000 engineering contract amendment for construction inspection work.
At its Dec. 15 meeting, the Washington City Council adopted several year-end fiscal and development measures.
The council unanimously approved an ordinance abating the 2025 automatic tax levy for $4,735,000 in general obligation bonds series 2023 after the city attorney explained that, when pledged revenues are sufficient, the abatement prevents an automatic added levy on taxpayers.
On the municipal property tax levy for 2025 (taxes payable in 2026), councilors debated the size of the increase and the need to tie increases to specific needs. One councilor asked for a needs-based justification rather than a broad percent range; another said a smaller increase (0.99%) would be preferable. The levy ordinance passed 6–2.
Council also approved a TIF redevelopment agreement with Strategic Pivot LLC for 104–106 North Main Street. During discussion Alderson Preston Blendy urged the city to develop metrics to demonstrate TIF results to residents; staff and a city official replied that property tax increases are publicly trackable while sales-tax attribution to a single business is limited.
Earlier in the meeting the council approved a staff-requested amendment to an engineering services agreement to add $218,000 to Millennia’s contract to complete construction engineering and inspection on the Catherine Street and drainage projects; that amendment passed unanimously.
Councilors asked staff to consider stronger public reporting on TIF outcomes so residents can see the tangible results of redevelopment investments.
Votes recorded in the meeting transcript were: abatement (unanimous), engineering amendment (unanimous), levy (6–2), TIF agreement (unanimous).
