Thunderstorms, some heavy during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
Tonight
A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday will have a public hearing to discuss the 2024 budget and mill levy rate.
As previously reported by The Mercury, the 2024 mill rate sits at 50.47 mills. That’s a 1.68-mill decrease in the city’s levy from last year, but since property values increase, the average tax bill also will be up nearly 10%.
A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed, taxable property value.
That means the owner of a $100,000 property would have paid $599.77 in city taxes in 2023; that same person would pay $656.44 on a home now valued at $113,100 in 2024, given the average increase of 13.1% for existing single-family homes.
For the average taxpayer, that’s an increase of 9.45% in city property taxes.
The commission also will review a request to allow alcohol at the “Third Thursday” Street Faire and Maker’s Market event on Oct. 19. It will occupy Poyntz Avenue from Third Street to Fifth Street.
In 2022, the city administration contacted Blue River Development about purchasing 3830 Excel Road for a new fire station.
City officials hired an appraisal of the property in August of 2022 which returned a value of $5 per square foot or $963,000 for the roughly 4.4-acre tract.
Officials would like to purchase the property for $914,542.20.
The property will be used for Fire Station No. 6 to serve the area to the east of Big Blue River and U.S. Highway 24.