After the city council approved a 34.25% property-tax increase, resident Nancy Inman and other community members organized a petition drive seeking to overturn it. The increase was expected to produce approximately $1.75 million annually, in part to raise municipal employees’ wages; organizers argued that the increase was excessive and should be decided by voters. The campaign collected at least the required 1,786 verified signatures, qualifying a November 3 referendum asking residents whether the tax increase should remain in effect. If voters rescind it, the City Council will have to revise its 2026–27 spending plan to account for the lost revenue.
Why It Matters
The campaign demonstrates how residents can use state referendum law to challenge a consequential fiscal decision made by elected officials. Instead of limiting their opposition to complaints, organizers gathered enough community support to transfer the final decision over the tax increase directly to voters. The case also places an important public-finance tradeoff before the community: residents must weigh the cost of higher property taxes against the city’s stated need to fund competitive employee compensation and municipal services. Regardless of the referendum’s outcome, the petition gives voters a direct voice in determining how much revenue their city raises and, indirectly, what it can afford to spend.