Rockville City Council Approves Increased 2020 Budget

ROCKVILLE -- Residents of Rockville could see their taxes increase next year.

At Wednesday night’s meeting, the city council in a three-to-one vote approved a preliminary budget for 2020. The proposed budget is currently just under two million dollars and 138 percent larger than last year’s. That means taxpayers would see an increase of 38 percent.

City Administrator Martin Bode says the increase will be much more significant than last year’s five to six percent.

It's a big number. Just a 26 percent tax increase for a property value of around $200,000 I think would be around $300 per year.

The bulk of the increase will go to road maintenance. Typically the city allocates $250,000 for the road fund, but Bode says the extra $450,000 will help fund a major project.

Maine Prairie Township is planning to do 210th Street next year. We share that road with them so half the cost is ours. They're estimating Rockville's share will be around $220,000.

The council may also decide to move some of the money out of the road fund to instead be set aside to go toward the cost of replacing the nearly forty-year-old existing fire truck in 2026. If funds are not designated for the truck, it may become an item on a future referendum put forward by the fire department.

The council can no longer increase, but can still decrease the budget before final approval in December.