PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Portage City Commission has approved a budget for their next fiscal year that won’t raise taxes, but will raise water and sewer rates.
Commissioners say that Portage, like all communities that rely on the property tax, will benefit on the revenue side from the rapid and profound rise in home prices in the last few years.
Portage City Manager Pat McGinnis says this will allow them to do more city improvements and add staff at Public Safety and the Senior Center.
McGinnis says it will also make it possible to blunt the impact of the City of Kalamazoo’s 20% rate hike for sewer treatment.
According to commissioners, Portage residents will see water bills go up 5% on July 1st and sewer rates go up 8.5%.
The Council was also scheduled to hold a public hearing and take a vote on ordinance amendments that would have allowed drive-in windows at marihuana dispensaries, but because they had not given 15-days public notice of the hearing, it has been put off until their next session on May 23.
reporting from John McNeill
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