The City of Ottawa stopped short of declaring next year’s budget revenue neutral. State statutes says that if at the time of a public hearing, cities can lower the mill rate, but can not raise it. City Finance Director Melany Landis explained the risks of declaring revenue neutral to commissioners and advised to vote to exceed that rate:
The current mill rate stated is 44.643. Commissioners did vote unanimously to declare they are exceeding the revenue neutral rate. The revenue neutral rate is a state law passed a couple years ago, and championed by State Senator Karen Tyson to prevent municipalities from randomly deciding to collect more tax money with no basis for doing so.
