City of Nocona employees will receive a four percent salary increase next year under a proposed city budget reviewed by the council Tuesday night while citizens will see a slight tax reduction.

Councilors discussed a plan to adopt the effective tax rate of $0.5387 per $100 assessed property value. The 2017 rate was 0.55320.

According to Nocona City Secretary Revell Hardison, the total taxable value of properties in Nocona for the year is $116,231,648, an increase of $4,848,852 in value over last year’s values of $111,390,796, creating an effective rate of 0.5387 cents.

The effective tax rate is broken down into maintenance and operations at $0.4795 with a debt rate of $0.592. The rollback rate is $0.5760 cents.

The total amount of city debt obligations secured by property taxes totals $68,872. This debt includes an E-199 Quint ladder fire truck, 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle, 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle, 2004 Chevrolet Silverado public works truck and a 2007 Ford F-150 public works truck. The proposed budget does not include any new vehicles.

“We did do a salary increase for our employees, but otherwise most things are the same as before. We did budget a couple of generators in the water and sewer departments for some of the plants,” explained Hardison.

The proposed tax rate will generate revenue of $609,419 for a budget with total projected revenue at $2,181,219. Part of that revenue for Nocona is derived from water and sewer. While residents will not see a difference in their taxes, change is coming for water and sewer.

While city officials continue to work on water rates, sewer may see a rate increase of $2 from the current rate of $28 to $30.

“It will be a flat fee without any tier whatsoever on the sewer,” explained Public Works Billing Administrator Cindy McCracken.

However, the current $37 rate for 5,000 gallons will see a drop in the amount of water allowed to 1,000 gallons with a tiered increase for 1,001-5,000 gallons, 5,001 gallons and up after that. Numbers and rates are still being configured but should be set by the end of September.

“This will help my ones who want to conserve water who have the pioneer rate right now,” explained McCracken.

There are currently around 40 citizens on the pioneer rate, which they must show income tax or social security to prove they qualify for the income requirement.

“I have many older people where it’s just them or one person, and they are more than likely use only around 600 gallons a month,” explained McCracken.

Read the full story in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.