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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014
Council plans to raise property taxes to balance budget BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Kent property owners could see their city taxes go up as much as 5 percent next year under a plan by the City Council to raise taxes as it attempts to balance the 2015-
16 budget by bringing in more revenue. The council will take a formal vote on the budget at a special meeting on Dec. 16. But during recent budget workshops councilmembers agreed to raise the
property tax after they shot down a proposal by Mayor Suzette Cooke to raise the business and occupation (B&O) tax to increase revenue by about $3 million per year. “We have heard the B&O will likely not go through so
we’ve taken the $3 million from B&O revenue off the table,” City Finance Director Aaron BeMiller said at a Nov. 25 workshop. City staff proposed at the workshop to raise the property tax rate with what is called banked
capacity. State law allows local governments to levy less than the maximum increase in property taxes allowed under law without losing the ability to levy higher taxes later if necessary. [ more BUDGET page 5 ]
City might use extra reserve funds for ShoWare debt nate the debt that exists in that fund.” The council seemed to Kent’s city budget looks so favor the idea as part of its healthy for this year that the 2015-16 budget deliberaCity Council might use $2.7 tions. The council will vote million of extra reon the final budget serve money to pay Dec. 16. off ShoWare Center Because of operating debt built increased sales tax up since the arena revenue as well as opened in 2009. reduced expenses, “Our general fund BeMiller estimates reserve at the end the city’s ending genof 2014 is estimated eral fund reserves will BeMiller to be at 15 percent reach $11.4 million (of the total budget) by the end of the year and the council goal is 10 or 15.5 percent of the general percent,” City Finance Difund budget. The city also rector Aaron BeMiller said keeps another $1.5 million at a Nov. 25 council budget in reserve for unanticipated workshop. “We propose to costs. take $2.7 million of general The city-owned ShoWare fund reserves and move that Center has lost money each money into the ShoWare [ more FUNDS page 5 ] operating fund and elimiBY STEVE HUNTER
shunter@kentreporter.com
LIGHTS UP Kent Parks Department employees Adam Baker, left, and Janet Henderson work on a cherry picker lift to string up lights on the city of Kent’s 35-foot Christmas tree in Town Square Plaza this
week. The tree will be officially lit at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, part of the Kent Lions and Foundation’s Winterfest festivities, an event for the community. Details, pages 3, 13. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter
In harmony with music, faith After long teaching career, Mill Creek’s Kolding is ready to retire BY ROSS COYLE rcoyle@kentreporter.com
His life has been a series of happenstances that led to a successful and passionate career in teaching, and now after 35 years at Mill Creek Middle School, Eugene Kolding is passing his conductor’s baton to a new teacher. Kolding, 66, is the last remaining faculty member to have taught at Mill Creek since
it was Kent Junior High School. Born in the central California town of Patterson, Kolding joined the Air Force after high school, and then returned to Modesto, Calif., for junior college. He then received a teaching degree from George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. “Since then it’s all been instrument classes or computer classes,” he says. [ more KOLDING page 4 ]
Music man: Eugene Kolding finds his passion for teaching from the life lessons he passes on to his students beyond simply how to play an instrument or read music. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter