Homeowners in Moline could see a small increase in their property taxes next year and city leaders blame the state.
At Tuesday's night budget session, two words came up to be increased, property taxes.
"We don't have a permanent source of funding to fund the deficit in both the park fund and the library fund so this is an opportunity for us to identify and secure some additional funding for both the parks and library," said city administrator, Lew Steinbrecher.
Property taxes in Moline haven't been raised in the last five years. If city council votes to raise them, residents would see a 3.1 percent increase. That would mean $20 more a year and $1.66 more a month.
"That's less than one percent year so I think that's reasonable," said Steinbrecher.
While it doesn't seem a lot, Steinbrecher says it will make a big difference in Moline. The city is trying to get out ahead of tax freeze the state is proposing. If the city doesn't act now it wont be able to raise taxes again untiI 2018. Under the proposal police and fire expenditures would be exempt.
"Over the last ten years our fire and police pension cost have grown from $2.2 million to $8.3 million. That has been the single most challenging element on the expenditures side of the budget," said Steinbrecher.
The city will take sales tax money to cover pensions and use towards residential street improvements. They'll use property taxes to cover the Parks Department and the library.
"The parks and library have not had and increase in appropriations for five years, while their expenditures have increased during that time," said Steinbrecher.
There will be one more work session on October 13th. A public hearing on the budget will take place before the city council votes. It's schedule to happen early November.