As the Galesburg City Council head toward voting on a tax levy without an increase in 2016, the 2015 levy came under question by two aldermen at last Monday’s work session. Ward 1 Alderwoman Angela Bastian and Ward 3 Alderman Russell Fleming questioned a payment that has been labeled as “an oversight.” Fleming argued to reduce the levy for 2016 to essentially repay money that some tax payers may have seen an increase on last year.
“I think that just because we collected it wrong,” says Fleming, “we shouldn’t just keep it and I think it should be given back.”
The city has what is called a “debt service levy” of around $630,000. While Fleming was verbally down voted on using revenue from a lower overall levy, City Manager Todd Thompson tells WGIL a repayment was always in the works through revenue from a utility tax passed last year.
“The timing of it was such,” Thompson elaborates, ” that it wasn’t included in the abatement ordinance which came forward right around the same time as the levy was issued. It was somewhat of an oversight normally we get the extension and it includes everything.”
Council will hold a truth-in-taxation hearing this month before accepting the 2016 levy, due to the technical 7 percent increase, though, tax payers will see no payment change.
