La Plata council adopts tax increase in 3-2 vote

After last week’s public hearing where the La Plata Town Council had a considerable turn out for and against a proposed property tax increase, the discussion continued on May 21.

Ultimately, the council adopted the hike in a split vote.

La Plata Mayor Jeannine James said she heard from a resident that they heard from their mortgage company their mortgage is going up $145 a month after an assessment that brought their property up 31% in value.

“You are looking at a lot of financial burden for all of our residents,” James said. “I will pay the same as everyone else, but I won’t feel it as much as someone that is struggling to make ends meet. Our own treasurer is saying this is not a good budget. … This isn’t the year to do this.”

“We don’t have any other option for revenue other than our taxes,” Councilwoman Evalyne Bryant-Ward said later.

James asked to keep the public record on the issue of the budget open until May 28, saying that she felt it was owed to town residents.

“I have a lot of mixed feelings about keeping the record open,” Councilman David Jenkins said.

Councilman David Winkler said that he would be okay with keeping the record open, but at some point he “would need to draw the line in the sand.”

“When you leave it open, there’s always going to be a reason to leave it open another week,” Winkler said. “I don’t see the harm in leaving it open, but why.”

Bryant-Ward said, “No, we have to pass the budget. We have to get a budget. It is May 21. The budget has to be passed by the end of June.”

The council voted to let the record remain open for the town’s overall budget.

However, the legislation for the tax increase went forward and passed in a 3-2 vote, with James and Winkler voting against it, increasing the property tax rate to 35 cents per $100 of a property’s value.