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Mount Vernon council adopts 4% pay schedule for appointed officers, sets property-tax hearing for April 6
Summary
The council approved a salary schedule matching a 4% union increase for appointed officers and set the first public hearing on the proposed property tax rate for April 6; staff warned recent state property-tax changes are forcing tighter short-term fiscal plans.
The Mount Vernon City Council on Feb. 18 approved a resolution adopting a recommended salary schedule that reflects a 4% raise for appointed officers and employees, the same increase that the city's union contract provided.
"This represents a 4% raise, which matches the union final year of the union contract," staff said while presenting the salary resolution. Council moved and adopted the resolution in a vocal vote.
At the same meeting the council set a public hearing on the proposed property tax levy for April 6. Staff said the proposed levy rate would remain at 13.50 and reminded the council of statutory certification deadlines later in April. "As long as there aren't any other additional surprises from the state, this is kind of where we are currently sitting," staff said, adding that recent state action (referenced in the meeting as House File 718) complicates multi-year budgeting.
Why it matters: staff cautioned that state-level changes to property-tax rules are restricting multi-year planning and may require cities to balance services differently. Council members discussed options for franchise-fee uses and flagged the possibility of moving some capital costs into enterprise funds to protect the general fund.
Next steps: staff will implement the new salary schedule and return to council with budget-line details as the FY26–27 budget is refined; the property-tax public hearing will be held April 6, and any final levy action will follow the required public-notice period and certifications.
