By Tim Pallesen
Ocean Ridge commissioners have cut back on their budget after residents objected to the tax rate increase.
Three of five commissioners were ready Sept. 10 to raise the current property tax rate of $5.25 per $1,000 of taxable property to $5.54 next year.
But Vice Mayor Lynn Allison reported at the town’s final budget hearing on Sept. 24 that residents can’t bear a tax increase that large. “We’ve heard the concern of everybody. The increase seems excessively burdensome for our community.
“We just can’t do everything we would like to do,” Allison said.
Commissioners then voted 4-1 for a budget that requires only a slight tax rate increase to $5.35 per $1,000 of taxable property.
The budget, which includes a one-time bonus to town employees equal to 3 percent of their annual salary, would add $50 to the tax bill for the owner of a home with $500,000 in taxable value.
Commissioner Zoanne Hennigan, who voted against the budget and tax rate, had warned other commissioners on Sept. 10 that Ocean Ridge residents couldn’t afford increased taxes.
“We’ve got homes here foreclosed. People have lost their jobs,” Hennigen said. “We’re in a pain situation. We need to share the pain.”
Allison had joined Mayor Geoffrey Pugh and Commissioner Gail Aaskov at the earlier hearing to support a 5 percent bonus for employees. Hennigan and Commissioner Edward Brookes opposed it.
Pugh proposed the bonus as a thank-you particularly to police officers.
“I have to give them the incentive to stay,” Pugh said. “To keep the police department we want, it’s time to bite the bullet and pay the money.”
Hennigen proposed eliminating a police officer and two police cars from the budget. Commissioners cut $64,000 for the cars, but they voted 3-2 not to eliminate the police job. Ú
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