Oak Ridge Today

Council approves city budget, withholds school money

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City Council and School Board

Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer, right, presents the school system's budget to City Council members Tuesday. From left are Council members Jane Miller, Charlie Hensley, and David Mosby.

The Oak Ridge City Council unanimously approved a no-tax-increase budget Tuesday that withholds about $766,000 from the school system.

The school’s money will be held in reserve until education officials transfer revenues raised under an Anderson County sales tax increase approved in 2006. That money will be used to help pay down the debt on the $66 million renovation of the Oak Ridge High School.

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Council considers budget again tonight

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a budget tonight that does not include a tax rate increase.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a budget tonight that does not include a property tax rate increase but does include a 1.5 percent pay raise for city employees.

Council approved the budget on first reading May 14, and tonight’s vote will be the second and final reading.

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City Council approves no-tax-increase budget

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The Oak Ridge City Council has unanimously approved a budget that does not raise the property tax rate.

It would be the fourth year in a row without a tax rate increase if Council approves the budget on second and final reading May 29.

Passed on first reading Monday night, the budget includes a 1.5 percent pay raise for city employees in the fiscal year that starts July 1. It would keep the property tax rate at  $2.39 per $100 of assessed value.

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Oak Ridge proposes no-tax-increase budget

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Mark Watson Budget Preview

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, center, presents budget highlights to City Council during a Monday night meeting. Also pictured, from left, are Oak Ridge City Clerk Diana Stanley, City Attorney Ken Krushenski (partially obscured), and Finance Director Janice McGinnis.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson has proposed a budget for the next fiscal year that does not include a property tax rate increase.

However, the budget, which is similar to last year’s, does include a 1.5 percent “pay adjustment” for municipal employees.

“This is not a rocket science budget,” Watson said. “This is just a matter of what we can afford.”

The property tax rate would stay at $2.39 per $100 of assessed value in the fiscal year that begins July 1 if City Council approves the budget on first and second reading later this month.

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