Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Montgomery County officials have agreed to advertise a tax increase of five cents for the upcoming year.
Supervisors voted 5-to-2 this past week to proceed with the public hearing on April 9 during its next regularly scheduled meeting.
The two no votes were Todd King and Steve Fijakowski with yes votes being Mary Biggs, April DeMotts, Steve Fijalkowski, Derek Kitts and Gunin Kiran.
This also means the county will advertise a budget for FY26-27, which was proposed by County Administrator Angie Hill.
But the decision to approve the five-cent increase did not come without a lot of debate during a work session in the middle of the supervisors’ meeting.
King said taxpayers cannot afford a tax increase right now.
“This is not affordable living,” he said during a discussion for the vote.
Kitts said he would hate to see any cuts in county services, admitting he had looked closely at the proposed budget and didn’t know where it could be cut.
Biggs told the group that every year funding a proposed budget is challenging.
A public hearing is scheduled for April 9 on the proposed intention to address the local tax levies for fiscal year 2026-27, which give the public the opportunity to speak on the matter.
The other tax levies for fiscal year 2026-27 under the proposed budget include:
Real estate property tax levy increased from $0.76 to $0.81 per $100 of assessed value.
Personal property tax levy remains at $2.55 per $100 of assessed value.
Machinery and tools tax levy remains at $1.82 per $100 of assessed value.
Mobile homes tax levy increased from $0.76 to $0.81 per $100 of assessed value.
Aircraft tax levy remains at $1.23 per $100 of assessed value.
Volunteer fire and rescue personal property motor vehicle tax levy is created at $0.00 per $100 of assessed value up to $29,500; and at $2.55 per $100 of assessed value in excess of $29,500.