TRINITY — After failing to come to a consensus on a tax rate at the Trinity City Council’s regular meeting on Aug. 21, the council approved a nickel tax hike at a special meeting on Thursday.
City Manager Tracy Hutto said that the council OK’d moving the tax rate from 6 to 6 ½ cents per $100 property valuation on its second vote.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Billy Goodin gave a presentation on the needs facing Trinity.
“I showed the people the position the city was in, and let the chips fall where they may,” Goodin said. “I showed the city finances and showed pictures of some the infrastructure challenges.”
Goodin even asked for a show of hands from the residents attending in the full council chambers, and they overwhelmingly showed support for the hike.
“When people understand what you’re dealing with, that we’re trying to turn around 30 or 40 years of kicking the can down the road, they understood the need,” Goodin said. “I’m hoping the council sees that the people are ready for change and want things fixed. They want a return on their investment.”
Hutto said it was an incredible thing to see the residents support raising taxes.
“We can’t do anything staying where we were,” she said. “Things were postponed as long as they could have. There needs to be additional revenue to continue our agenda of growth and pay for some grant match obligations as well as bank notes.”
She also said that city is facing an additional $70,000 tab to rehabilitate the water tower near the downtown area that was put off last year, as well as replacing generators for lift stations, all of which were delayed during last year’s budget discussions.
However, Council Member Bubba Smith put forth a motion to leave the tax rate alone, which was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Phillip Morrison. Council members Clegg Dewalt and Bryan Buck voted against that, and with Council Member Scott Womack absent, it left it to Goodin to break the tie, and the effort was defeated.
Dewalt then moved for the increase, which was seconded by Buck, and this vote passed after Morrison changed his vote, leaving Smith as the lone no vote.
With the increase, the city will see estimated revenues of $903,191, or $105,021 in additional funds. with the new rate. Actual figures will be different based on valuations of the county appraisal district.
Hutto said that based on $100,000 home, it would an additional $50 annually.
