By BARBARA GREEN
Ambulance billing, and how it is recorded in the budget was the lead topic during Tuesday night’s Bowie City Council budget hearing along with a pair of councilors telling citizens it is not “Us against them.”
This was the first budget hearing following the official presentation of the budget on July 11. A workshop took place on July 25; however, while still waiting for certified property values and costs for health insurance there was no discussion on the budget proposal. The budget also had been reworked after the previous water-sewer rate increase was tabled.

There was a tie vote requiring the mayor’s vote on a proposal to consider a tax rate increase.
This motion is the first step in the process to discuss tax rate proposals.
Tow said this budget proposal uses a tax rate of .53 cents per $100 in property value, which is an increase of .0173 cents from the 2016 rate of .5127 cents.
For a property valued at $100,000, the tax increase would be $17.30 per year.
Councilor Wayne Bell made the motion to approve consideration a tax increase, seconded by Chuck Malone.
Terry Gunter, Douglas Boyd and Gaylynn Burris voted no. Davis voted yes breaking the tie.
Public hearings for the tax rate will on Aug. 15 and Sept. 5. After those hearings, the council will vote to approve a 2017 tax rate – which could be changed at any time during the budget process.

Read the full story in the weekend News, also see the full proposed budget on the Bowie News webpage at this link: .https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/citys-proposed-budget.pdf