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Council approves temporary single‑payment millage amendment; public hearing draws complaints about transit service and district taxation
Summary
Council unanimously approved an amendment to set this year's school and county property tax to one payment on Dec. 1 because of a state‑driven delay in assessment notices. During the public hearing resident Paul Olsen said his district is "being taxed unfairly" for Metrobus service that he says does not stop in his area; transit staff displayed route maps and explained paratransit service coverage.
The council on July 14 approved an amendment to the millage ordinance to use a single tax payment for this tax year, moving the payment due date to Dec. 1, after Deputy City Manager Pam Hodge told the council a delayed assessment notice timeline prevented the normal two‑installment schedule.
Hodge said the tax assessor and tax commissioner had to change notice software to comply with new state law; that change delayed mailings and therefore the 60‑day appeal period. “Because of that delay, we are now past the ability to do a, 2 payments, October 1 and December 1,” Hodge said, and recommended a single due date on Dec. 1 for this year.
The amendment passed on a motion from the mayor pro tem; the ordinance will return for formal vote on the next regular meeting after the required notice cycle.
During the public hearing, resident Paul Olsen urged the council to address perceived inequities in service districts, saying his area had been taxed for Metrobus service without having proximate stops. “We are being taxed unfairly at 0.82 millage for a Metrobus service,” Olsen said, recounting multiple open‑records requests and urging the council to reconsider service boundaries and the information posted to the website on how transit‑tax funds are spent.
A transit official displayed the route map and explained that when regular routes exist, accompanying paratransit (Dollarhide) provides service three‑quarters of a mile outside a route and that some locations in Olsen’s area are covered. Councilors and staff agreed to follow up with the constituent, to circulate information about transit apps and to refer a request to Public Works and CPD to address adjacent fencing and homeless encampment concerns affecting course access.
What’s next: The millage ordinance will be brought back at the next regular meeting for a formal vote; staff will follow up on the transit map explanations and constituent referrals.
