MORAN — Property owners should expect to spend the same amount in taxes to support Moran’s city operations in 2020.
City Council members on Monday scheduled an Aug. 5 budget hearing to discuss their spending plans for the upcoming year.
The budget would be supported in part with an ad valorem tax levy of about 38.353 mills, a smidgeon above what taxpayers are paying this year.
That means the owner of a $75,000 home will spend about $330 in property taxes, or about $2 more than for the 2019 budget. That figure does not account for taxes spent to support USD 256, Allen County or Allen Community College’s 2020 budgets.
A few items of note:
Sales tax revenues are up signficantly this year, from $63,000 to $84,000, largely because of spending done by crews in town for ongoing construction of the Prairie Queen Wind Farm north of Moran.
Even so, Council members agreed to keep spending level.
The city’s assessed valuation also is expected to increase slightly for 2020, from $1.54 million to $1.573 million, which will bring a bit more revenue for the same property tax levies.
The valuation figures are estimates, which means the mill levy may go up or down a hair before the budget goes into effect Jan. 1.
Council members noted the state’s property tax lid law will continue to play a role in this year’s and future budget discussions. That’s because the city would need to put any scheduled budget hike up to voters if spending were to increase beyond the rate of inflation.
For Moran, that would mean spending upward of $3,000 to schedule a special election, or the equivalent of 2 mills.
COUNCIL MEMBERS discussed a number of homes in town in need of repair or demolition.
The discussion was sparked by complaints about a structure in the 200 block of South Elm Street, that has a crumbling roof and other deficiencies.
One resident has reported a family of foxes taking up residence there, and expressed concern that more vermin will show up sooner or later.
City Attorney Bret Heim said the proper course of action is to find the house’s owners — the former occupant has died — to begin condemnation proceedings.
Moran Police Chief Shane Smith also pointed to a handful of other houses in similar condition, wondering if the city should begin proceedings for those places as well.
Council members were receptive to the idea, noting that such things as demolition costs can be mitigated somewhat if a single contractor does several homes at once.
