May 2009 Archives

"Perhaps it is time for a disincorporation slate to be formed for the coming election. The city's' primary reasons for founding, to provide protective services not provided for by the county, no longer exist. . . . . Silver Spring, Kensington, and Bethesda are doing quite well without municipal government. A time to every season, and Takoma Park's season has passed." --- Lawrence

No, it's not. Yes, they do. No, they don't. And, No, it hasn't, Lawrence.

Lawrence, you are so sadly misguided! A dis-incorporation movement would be about as popular in Takoma Park as a gun club (and, there would probably be a lot of overlapping membership).

Comfortable, that's how Mayor Williams feels about the property tax rate hike. he and a majority of the council approved a 58.5 cent rate (per $100 of assessed value) in a first ordinance reading. The final reading and vote is upcoming.

The rate is lower than that first proposed in the city manager's 2010 budget, but councilmembers Terry Seamens and Josh Wright, were NOT comfortable with the lowered rate, each saying they though it should be lower still.

Dear Readers,

As we noted last week the council squeezed some expenditures out of the city manager's budget, reducing the tax rate raise on homeowners. They even squeezed some more out since the Budget Reconciliation session May 7. What had been a roughly 9% raise is now roughly a 5% raise.

Dear Readers,

More details when we have regained sanity.

- Gilbert

Dear Readers,

Property values may sink into that marshmallow, and property values are what the taxes are calculated on. When those start going down - as good as that sounds to taxpayers - it means the city will have less revenue, and . . . then what?

Dear Readers,

The goal of that Thursday April 30 city council agenda item was to come up with a consensus plan for balancing the budget, but each councilmember had his or her own plan, and the city manager had one or two, herself.