Thursday, September 23, 2010

Barrett's Proposed 2011 City of Milwaukee Budget Provides for Increase in Some Branch Library Hours


Link to September 23 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Barrett seeks to hold line on property taxes".

Excerpt: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is calling for a small cut in property taxes and a boost in hours for four libraries in the 2011 city budget he will unveil Thursday.

The $1.48 billion spending plan would shave $2,112, less than one-thousandth of 1%, off this year's $247.4 million property tax levy. Because the city's total assessed value has declined nearly 3%, the tax rate would rise 2.7%, from slightly less than $8.89 per $1,000 assessed value to slightly more than $9.12.

But the average home's assessed value has dropped, too, from about $127,000 to about $123,000, meaning the city line on the average tax bill would dip $6.44, or 0.6%, from $1,129.21 to $1,122.77.

If the Common Council agrees, it would be the first property tax cut since Barrett took office in 2004, and it comes as he is running for governor
.

Hours at the Bay View, East, Washington Park and Zablocki branch libraries would increase to 45 hours per week, up from the current 35.

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