November 30, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAX LEVY VIDEO AVAILABLE
MANAGER TO BE AVAILABLE TO
ANSWER RELATED QUESTIONS
DECATUR - A video discussing the city’s annual property tax levy can be found on the city’s web site, YouTube Channel and on the City’s access channel, Cable TV channel 18.
The city’s web site is located at www.decaturil.gov while the YouTube channel can be found at www.youtube.com/accessdecatur.
In addition, City Manager Ryan McCrady will be available to media at 1:30 p.m. today at the Decatur Civic Center to answer questions surrounding the issue, which is scheduled to be discussed tonight during the regularly scheduled Decatur City Council meeting. This will not be a press conference, rather, an opportunity for media to get questions addressed in preparation for tonight’s meeting.
Each year the city has a list of certain obligations that it currently pays from property taxes, including police, fire and other employee pensions, funding for the library, municipal band and bond debt service. Last year those costs totaled about $12 million and this year it has been determined that those costs will be about $12.68 million.
The numbers being discussed represent what is owed and now it must be decided how to best cover those obligations.
The city has cut 21 positions to date and could have to cut between 30 and 50 more as we move into talks about the city’s budget. In total that’s a reduction of 51-71 positions or between 10 and 13 percent of the work force. The city reduced its budget by $3 million entering this fiscal year and estimate that we will face another deficit as we move into budget discussions early next year.
For more information contact Billy Tyus at 424-2753.