Branson property tax, service rates headed up

The city will see a 0.062-cent hike to its property tax levy in fiscal 2009, according to a news release, resulting in a levy of 51.55 cents per $100 assessed valuation. That amounts to about $1,606 on a $200,000 home, city spokesman Jerry Adams said.

The increase is necessary because the city’s assessed valuation fell by $23 million this year compared to last year, the release said.

The city also is requesting a 5 percent increase in water rates and a 15 percent increase in sewer rates. The new rates would be implemented in the October billing cycle.

The city is three years into a five-year plan to move away from subsidizing the water and sewer fund with funds from the tourism and capital improvement tax, the release said.

The board will have a second reading on those increases at its Sept. 8 meeting.