By Hannah Woosley, Karlil Wilson, Alex Otte, Christie Netherton, Ana Neal, Sierra McLean, Thomas Franconia and Desiree Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
The Midway City Council has completed the unusual step of lowering property taxes by more than a fourth, taken because the city is receiving so much more money from occupational taxes.
The council gave second and final reading Monday evening to ordinances that set tax rates on real and personal property at 7.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The current rates are 10.2 cents per $100, so the reduction will be 26.47 percent. When tax bills arrive in a few weeks, the city property tax on a $100,000 house will be $75.
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
The Midway City Council has completed the unusual step of lowering property taxes by more than a fourth, taken because the city is receiving so much more money from occupational taxes.
The council gave second and final reading Monday evening to ordinances that set tax rates on real and personal property at 7.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The current rates are 10.2 cents per $100, so the reduction will be 26.47 percent. When tax bills arrive in a few weeks, the city property tax on a $100,000 house will be $75.
“We could go even lower, but this is a safe start,” said Mayor Grayson Vandegrift, who began discussing a property-tax decrease in July 2017, when the city was piling up occupational-tax revenue from the Lakeshore Learning Materials distribution center, the American Howa Kentucky auto-parts plant, and expanded businesses.
“We just did not need to be taxed at twice the rate Versailles was taxed on property,” Vandegrift said. He noted that the budget the council passed in June was based on an expected 25 percent reduction in property taxes.
New cop in town: Rob Young was introduced as the new assistant chief of the Versailles Police Department, which has responsibility for patrolling all of Woodford County, including Midway, which does not have its own police but pays Versailles for the service. Mike Murray, the former assistant chief, was recently promoted to chief and chose Young to succeed him.
Young said he has been a detective with the department for a year and a half, after 26 years of federal service. He told the Midway Messenger that he served 20 years with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kentucky, the last three and a half years as the resident agent in charge in Lexington.
The assistant police chief typically attends Midway council meetings. Young told the council, “I was going through some of the crime reports, and Midway's a good place to be.” He said he plans to “keep it that way.”
Later in the meeting, Council Member Bruce Southworth said he was happy to see a report from the department showing that police have made more traffic stops in Midway recently. Speeding has been a chronic problem in the city.
Donation made: The council approved $575 in funding for Midway Christian Church, to help finish constructing a table made from recycled bottle caps for Northside Elementary School. The church has been making benches with the recycled products and wants to do more and place them around town, Vandegrift said.
Other business: Southworth, Gallagher and Council Member Steve Simoff voiced concerns over potentially hazardous road conditions due to lack of mowing on state roads, particularly Leestown Road, causing sight-line obstructions. Vandegrift said he sent an email Tuesday morning to the state Highway Department about the issue and will keep up with it until it is taken care of.
Vandegrift congratulated Southworth for his dedication and determination to secure a mileage sign for Midway on US 421 at the east edge of Frankfort, the first non-interstate mileage sign for Midway in years. “Congratulations to you for doing what state legislators couldn’t do,” Vandegrift said.
“We just did not need to be taxed at twice the rate Versailles was taxed on property,” Vandegrift said. He noted that the budget the council passed in June was based on an expected 25 percent reduction in property taxes.
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| Assistant Police Chief Rob Young talked with Council Member Steve Simoff after the council meeting. (Photo by Sierra McLean) |
Young said he has been a detective with the department for a year and a half, after 26 years of federal service. He told the Midway Messenger that he served 20 years with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kentucky, the last three and a half years as the resident agent in charge in Lexington.
The assistant police chief typically attends Midway council meetings. Young told the council, “I was going through some of the crime reports, and Midway's a good place to be.” He said he plans to “keep it that way.”
Later in the meeting, Council Member Bruce Southworth said he was happy to see a report from the department showing that police have made more traffic stops in Midway recently. Speeding has been a chronic problem in the city.
Donation made: The council approved $575 in funding for Midway Christian Church, to help finish constructing a table made from recycled bottle caps for Northside Elementary School. The church has been making benches with the recycled products and wants to do more and place them around town, Vandegrift said.
Council Member Kaye Nita Gallagher asked what the council would do if the Baptist church or Methodist church asked for a donation. Vandegrift said, “Our policy has ben to do this on a first-come, first-served basis.” He said the council has $325 remaining in its $5,000 donations budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2019.
Other business: Southworth, Gallagher and Council Member Steve Simoff voiced concerns over potentially hazardous road conditions due to lack of mowing on state roads, particularly Leestown Road, causing sight-line obstructions. Vandegrift said he sent an email Tuesday morning to the state Highway Department about the issue and will keep up with it until it is taken care of.
Vandegrift congratulated Southworth for his dedication and determination to secure a mileage sign for Midway on US 421 at the east edge of Frankfort, the first non-interstate mileage sign for Midway in years. “Congratulations to you for doing what state legislators couldn’t do,” Vandegrift said.
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