Council Attempts To Answer Questions On Proposed Tax

Members of the Brandenburg City Council attempted to answer questions expressed related to the proposed occupational tax.

The council had previously met on July 8 during a special called meeting to allow the public to ask questions and express their concerns to a proposed one percent occupational tax within the city. About 160 people attended the July meeting and only about half returned to hear the answers from city leaders.

Mayor David Pace told those in attendance on Tuesday (9/3), city leaders are working to get this right from the start of process and the process will take some time. Mayor Pace said the city is not broke but explained the proposed tax is needed to support the operations of the city’s general fund in order to continue to provide the current basic services as the city continues to grow. City leaders provided information from other cities in the surrounding area of various sizes and additional revenue generated from similar taxes.

Mayor Pace explained the funds would be used to provide funding for additional staff for the police, and public works departments in the city along with assisting with future increase of expenses of supplies to keep all of the department operating.

Mayor Pace said the council will not take any action on the occupational tax until they gain more information and residents, employees and council are all comfortable with the final product. He said the council is expected to form an advisory council which will work to assist the council with citizen input and research on the issue. An vote on the tax isn’t expected until possibly the end of the calendar year.

The Brandenburg City Council will meet for their regular meeting on Monday, September 9 at 7 pm at Brandenburg City Hall. You can watch the entire special meeting in our “On Demand” section.