By a vote of 5-3 this evening, the Wellington Governing Body passed an Ordinance establishing the 2009 City Budget and increasing property tax revenues about 1/4 million dollars. The entire budget increase, including other taxes and utility revenues amounts to an increase of $3.5 million. Councilmembers Antonich, Granger, and myself voted against the budget; Councilmember Watson was absent due to illness.
Once again, the "mill levy" was discussed and attention was directed to the fact that the mill levy has not increased in six years. And once again I say, discussing the "mill levy" is a tactic used to lead the public to believe that there is no increase in taxes (See http://www.johntracy.net/taxation.pdf). The fact remains that although the "mill levy" will not/should not increase, the City will be budgeting and spending the increased tax dollars generated by higher property appraisals, and that in a nutshell, is raising taxes. Anytime a budget is increased from the previous year, a tax increase has been effected.
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