Members discussed that legislation on Tuesday.
Frederick, Md (KM) The Frederick County Council is considering a bill to lower the street light tax district rates in Braddock Heights, Libertytown and New Addition The legislation was discussed by board members on Tuesday.
The special street lighting tax districts were established in 1996. Property owners in those areas would pay a slightly higher tax rate to pay for the service. Budget Director Kelly Weaver says in these areas, there were no homeowners’ associations which would assess each members a certain amount to pay for the street lights.
“Obviously, the revenue coming in does fluctuate based on property values,” Weaver says. “Right now, property values are slightly increasing and so we are collecting more revenue than our actual expense. So we’re trying to lower that and actually reduce the fund balance that has built up over a couple of years.”
In Braddock Heights, the street lighting tax rate would drop from 15-cents per $100 of assessed value to 10-cents per $100 of assessed value. The rate in Libertytown would go down from 13-cents per $100 of assessed value to 10-cents per $100 of assessed value. And in New Addition, it would decrease from 17-cents per $100 of assessed value to 10-cents per $100 of assessed value.
These tax rates would continue each year hereafter unless changed by the county’s governing body, according to the background materials provided for the meeting. .
The Council is expected to vote on this bill at a later date.
BY Kevin McManus