New Tax

In case you missed it last night, the city council approved 4-3 starting levying a property tax to help cover the cost of mandated city pensions. Property taxes will increase approximately $6 per month on a $100,000 house. Councilman Joel Fritzler sent out this email after the vote explaining his reasoning for favoring a sales tax increase over a property tax:

Councilmembers Mary Pohlmann, Corene McDaniel, Chris Wissman, and Steven Haynes voted to reinstate a property tax for the city. A few arguments in favor of the property tax were that the residents of Carbondale need to accept more of the tax burden, the residents of Carbondale have been on a "Tax Holiday" and, that we are balancing on one leg in our reliance on the sales tax.

However, in addition to the property taxes that Carbondale residents pay to the other taxing bodies and, besides all of the sales taxes that Carbondale residents pay, the city also collects (to name a few) a hotel/motel tax, motor fuel tax, cell phone tax, a tax on our water/sewer bill and, taxes for owning dogs and bicycles.

I'm not sure when this "Tax Holiday" takes place as it seems that Carbondale residents are paying taxes to the city every day of the year. I pointed out again during tonight's council meeting that funds we are now needing to raise are for services enjoyed by everyone that is in Carbondale during the day and not just property owners.

I'm sorry that the vote went the way that it did but, thank you for expressing your preferences and for sharing them with the other council members.

Joel Fritzler