LAHARPE — LaHarpe residents are learning the hard way once again that a dollar just doesn’t go as far as it used to.
For the second consecutive year, local residents are faced with a property tax increase to make up for the city’s losses in assessed valuation.
City Council members, in a special meeting on Tuesday, approved for publication the city’s 2018 spending plan, which is supported in part by an ad valorem tax levy of 65.579 mills.
The projected tax levy is more than 6 mills higher than what locals spent this year.
However, the city’s general fund spending should be virtually identical to what was spent this year, $83,646 to $83,645.
The difference, Council members noted, is that each mill would generate $1,298 in revenue in 2018, compared to $1,410 this year. A similar outcome came about last year when the Council approved this year’s budget. Then, the tax levy was increased about 5 mills, despite the general fund budget remaining flat.
The higher levy means the owner of a $75,000 home will pay $565 in property taxes to support LaHarpe in 2018, if the spending plan is approved, about $54 more than the owner spent on property taxes this year. The figure does not include taxes to support USD 257, Allen County or Allen Community College.
Council members scheduled a 7 p.m. Aug. 9 budget hearing to allow the public the opportunity to ask questions about the 2018 budget before it is approved and sent to the county.
LaHarpe eyes tax increase
