Maitland votes down tax hike

After months of talk about higher taxes to fund additional city services, in its final budget meeting on Monday the Maitland City Council backtracked property tax rates to the same they’ve been since 2007.

By keeping the millage rate at 3.88 mils, Maitland residents can expect to continue to pay $3.88 for every $1,000 of taxable property value they own. But even by keeping the rate flat, Assistant City Manager Sharon Anselmo said the city will garner 1.63 percent more in taxpayer revenue than in 2013.

The approved $22.45 million budget included additional funding for library renovations, Performing Arts of Maitland programing, and restoring three frozen positions. The budget removed a proposed designated allocation of an additional $188,000 in funding for parks, leaves 17 positions still frozen, and utilizes $627,591 from the city’s fund balance.