City to hold tax hearing on Sept. 5

The city of Philadelphia will hold two public hearings on a proposed $9 million budget next week.

The first hearing is at City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 5 p.m. 

The hearing will address the proposed ad valorem tax revenue for fiscal year 2024/2025, while the second will allow the public to comment on the City’s overall spending plan for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30.

Currently, the city operates with a projected total budget revenue of $9,409,350, of which 16 percent, or $1,530,000, is obtained from ad valorem taxes.

The proposed budget projects a total revenue of $9,718,350 for the upcoming fiscal year. Of this amount, 15 percent, or $1,530,000, is expected to be financed through ad valorem taxes.

A millage rate of 78.78 will generate the same revenue from ad valorem taxes as the prior year, when the millage rate was 79.28.

The decision not to increase the ad valorem tax millage rate for fiscal year 2024/2025 means that taxpayers will not see an increase in ad valorem taxes on their homes, automobile tags, utilities, business fixtures, equipment, or rental real property—unless the assessed value of their property has increased for the upcoming fiscal year.

Additionally, the Philadelphia Public School District will decrease its ad valorem millage rate by 0.5 for fiscal year 2024/2025.

Citizens are invited to attend the public hearings on Sept. 5 to discuss the proposed budget and tax levies for fiscal year 2024/2025. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak and present tangible evidence before any votes are taken.

Following the public hearings, aldermen plan to officially adopt the budget during a special called meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12. All meetings will be held at City Hall at 5:00 p.m. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend. 

In other business, aldermen voted to:

• Approve a motion to pay Hi-Lite Airfield Services LLC $39,022.67 and $15,103 for services completed on the Seal Coat Airport project. The motion was approved  unanimously;

• Approve a motion to pay Chad Wright Plumbing LLC $2,020.48 for work at the Boys & Girls Club at Westside Community Center paid out of the Bond B account. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to accept the striping quote from J.C. Cheek Contractors, Inc. of $47,077.50 as the lowest with the higher bid from Lane Line, LLC at $48,694.40 to be paid out of the Bond A account. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to approve C Spire road bores along or across Pecan Avenue, Magnolia Street, Pinecrest Drive, Terry Avenue, Chaney Avenue, Mimosa Street, Maple Avenue, Dogwood Street, Woodland Hills Drive, Redbud Place, Kosciusko Road, and Azaelea Drive. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to set a hearing date of Sep. 17 for the possible rezoning of Hardy Avenue, Lot 20 from R-4 to R-1. Shaun Seales recused himself and left the room. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to hire Demetric Wilson with the Cemetery Department at $10 per hour effective Sep. 3, pending a drug screen on a 90-day probationary period. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to accept the resignation of Landon Green from the Cemetery Department effective Aug. 2. The motion was approved unanimously ;

• Approve a motion to transfer David Gibbs from the Cemetery Department to Animal Control effective Aug. 26. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to accept the resignation of Courtney Stephens from Animal Control on Aug. 2. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to approve the road closures for Ham Jam from 8 p.m. Oct. 10 to 12 a.m. Oct. 13 for safety and better traffic flow. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to approve the Refuge 5K route from Poplar Avenue to Main Street on Oct. 2 with Police Department assistance at intersections as needed for safety and traffic control. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to accept a Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $8,640 for the Police Department. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to pay Fitness Superstore $3,359.75 and $3,103.99 for equipment out of the Drug Seizure Account. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to change Jeremy Morgan status from full-time to part-time Fire Fighter as needed, effective Aug. 21. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to hire Cage Palmer as a Driver at $14.63 per hour effective Aug. 25 with the Fire Department. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to accept a grant from MS Office of Homeland Security in the amount of $135,000. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to purchase two mini First Net CRD’s in the amount of $69,990 which will be reimbursable from the MOHS taskforce grant. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to purchase two Starlink services with maintenance agreements for $7,200 per year, which is reimbursable from the MOHS taskforce grant. The motion was unanimously approved;