The City of Owensboro is leaving the real property tax rate unchanged for the current fiscal year.
The real property tax rate is proposed to remain at 26.40 cents per $100 of assessed value, meaning there would be $264 in property taxes on a $100,00 home.
Angela Waninger, the City’s finance and support services director, said that the City could have raised property tax but decided not to based on the recommendation of the commissioners.
The personal property tax rate is raising from 27.87 cents to 33.02 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That rate is not set by the City.
The vehicle tax rate — which has stayed the same since 2000 — would remain unchanged at 30.30 cents.
The real property tax rate is estimated to generate $9,963,002, the personal property rate $1,166,199, and vehicles $1,079,675.
City commissioners will officially vote on the tax rates after a second reading of the ordinance at their next meeting.
In the closing remarks of the meeting, Mayor Tom Watson encouraged residents to get the vaccine to help battle the rising COVID-19 case numbers in the City and the County.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you can do it and if you can feel comfortable about to get vaccinated,” Watson said.
As the floor opened for public comments, Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education Vice-Chair Michael Johnson spoke on the increase in violence amongst the teenage population of the city. Johnson said he and some colleagues were praying for violence to cease during the month of July.
He was calling for more awareness for the work he feels needs to be done on the social infrastructure to help the community.
“The victims are getting younger, and the offenders are getting younger,” he said. “I mean, from ages 14 years of age to 17 years old.”
The next City Commission meeting is at 5 p.m. on Sept. 7.
