La Coste City Council proposes to hold the line on its tax rate, but rising appraised values will likely mean slightly higher tax bills for the average property owner.
The council voted to keep the rate at $0.55 per $100 of valuation. Coupled with an average 6.58 percent increase in taxable values, the proposal would boost the average homestead tax bill in the city from $464 last year to $495 this year.
The average homestead taxable value is rising by the same 6.58 percent — from $84,383 to $89,938, according to Medina County Tax Assessor-Collector Melissa Lutz.
The total proposed tax levy would generate $208,177 for the city in 2020. That’s up 6.47 percent from $195,469 last year.
Council members Bonnie Mangold, Kimberly Stiteler and Karl Lutz voted for the tax proposal. Wade Tschirhart voted against. Dale Adams was absent.
A public hearing on the tax rate is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22, at City Hall, 16004 Front St. The council will take a final vote after the hearing, which starts at 6 p.m.
To keep this year’s tax bills at 2019 levels, the city would need to reduce its rate to $0.5272 per $100 – the so-called no-new revenue rate.
Lutz said La Coste’s tax proposal exceeds the “voter approval” rate of $0.5462, but remains below the “DeMinimus” rate. “Therefore it does not create a [referendum] election, but one could be petitioned,” she said.
By Kenric Ward
La Coste eyes same tax rate
