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Mayor briefs council on community events, safety and potential property-tax elimination impacts
Summary
Mayor Bo Bemmes provided safety reminders for Halloween, community event notices and reported on a Hamilton County Municipal League discussion about a petition to eliminate property taxes, noting estimates that replacement revenue could require a 10.2% earnings tax or 20% sales tax and that roughly $940,000 of current property-tax revenue funds city operations.
Mayor Bo Bemmes used miscellaneous business to deliver multiple community notices and a policy briefing. He reminded residents about Halloween safety (Oct. 31, 6–8 p.m.), announced the fire department’s turkey raffle (Nov. 21–22) and CPR/AED training (Nov. 8), and said public-works teams will begin winterizing parks on Nov. 3 and that leaf pickup is underway.
The mayor also reported on conversation at a Hamilton County Municipal League meeting about a citizen petition to place a measure on the ballot to eliminate property taxes. He relayed summary estimates discussed by attendees: replacing property-tax revenue entirely could require an earnings tax near 10.2% or a sales tax near 20%. He added that approximately 67% of property-tax receipts provide school funding and about 3.52% of property-tax revenue supports city operations—approximately $940,000 annually for Reading. The minutes record these figures as the mayor’s report rather than as council policy or a binding estimate.
