For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield’s proposed city budget for 2020 was presented at a special common council meeting on Oct. 21, and city administrator Steve Barg says under the recommended $22.5 million budget, taxes in Marshfield would go up by just over two percent.

According to Barg, “The proposed tax rate would be a 19 cent hike to $9.45 per thousand of assessed property value and that would be an increase of 2.02 percent in the tax rate over last year.”

That’s a larger increase than usual for Marshfield residents, but Barg says it’s less than some surrounding communities.

“No one’s excited about increases in tax rates,” he said. “I think we’ve held the line incredibly for the last decade, or so.  I think we’ve up about 3.5% over the last six, seven, eight years. But I think we know that with the challenges we have this year, that’s not a bad place to come in.”

While it’s a challenging year for the budget, Barg says the city’s assessed value has gone up.

“Assessed value has gone up to $1.55 billion. That’s a five percent increase over the previous year,” Barg added. And we’re seeing appreciation in the value of our property that we have in the city.”

Funded in the proposed budget are street overlays and other repairs, and one percent pay raises for some city employees under the city’s previously adopted compensation plan.

Additional budget meetings are scheduled for Oct. 29 and Nov. 4; before a final vote on Marshfield’s 2020 city budget on Nov. 26.

For full details, go to 2020 City Administrator’s Recommended Budget.