Aldermen to Vote on Raising Taxes; Controversial Bar Ordinance

The Oxford Board of Aldermen holds a public hearing July 2, 2018, to discuss possible changes to the city’s regulations for businesses selling alcohol.
Photo by Alyssa Schnugg

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill and the Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing on a proposed ad valorem tax increase for the fiscal year 2018-2019 and on its proposed budget and proposed tax levies for the fiscal year 2018-2019.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. tonight in the Courtroom of the Oxford City Hall during the board’s regular meeting.

Any citizen of Oxford is invited to attend the public hearing on the proposed ad valorem tax increase and will be allowed to speak for a reasonable amount of time and offer tangible evidence before any vote is taken.

The city of Oxford is now operating with a projected total budget revenue of $28,255,877. Thirty percent or $8,487,838.00 of such revenue is obtained through ad valorem taxes. For the next fiscal year, the proposed budget has a total projected revenue of $26,730,876. Of that amount, 30 percent, or $8,101,132 is proposed to be financed through a total ad valorem tax levy.

During the next fiscal year, the city of Oxford plans to increase the ad valorem tax millage rate between 1 to 2 mills. During a work session last week, some aldermen expressed wanting to keep from raising taxes 2 mills if possible and seemed to share a general consensus to keep the increase to about 1.5 mills.

The city’s current millage rate is 30.22 mills.

A 1-mill increase would amount to a $10 increase on a $100,000 home with homestead exemption.

Also on tonight’s agenda is a possible vote on the proposed Regulation and Safety of Patrons and Employees of Restaurants, Bars and Similar Businesses, Including Event Venues ordinance, once known as the Downtown District ordinance.

Photo by John Allison

First proposed in June, the ordinance requires all local restaurants serving alcohol to include additional security guards, cameras and the use of ID scanners to check for fake ID cards.

A group of downtown restaurants, through their attorney, have filed several objects to the ordinance claiming the equipment being required for cameras and ID scanners is an extra expense.

Last week, in an email sent to Mayor Tannehill and the Board of Aldermen, the ACLU claimed the ordinance is “government surveillance of private businesses” and could have “chilling effects on First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.”

If the board approves the ordinance, it would go into effect in 30 days from today.