The Charleston City Council approved a tax levy ordinance of $3,622,344, an increase of 6.99 percent from last fiscal year.

A public hearing took place before the city council meeting on Dec. 18 to discuss the approval of the annual property tax levy for the fiscal year of May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014.

Comptroller Heather Kuykendall said the new tax levy would increase $161,851 from last year’s levy.

Kuykendall said the city will receive $3.2 million from current assessed property values and the new tax levy.

For example, the owner of a $100,000 home would see an increase of $26.23 in property taxes, she said.

Kuykendall said disregarding inflation, that same homeowner would have paid $553 in property taxes in the summer of 2006 and with the new tax levy, would pay $633 next summer.

In eight years, the property tax went up 14.5 percent or $80.

From that estimate, the city would receive additional revenue of $207,000 that would cover 25.74 percent of the city’s expenses.

The council approved the ordinance approving the annual tax levy along with approving the authorization of various tourism funds and the surplus sale of property.

The council approved the authorization of $1,500 in tourism funds to the Coles County Fair Board for advertising expenses.

Mayor John Inyart said the tourism funds come from the motel/hotel tax and is administered by the Tourism Advisory Board.

He said the tourism fund is there to help organizations promote their events.

The council also approved the sale of a surplus property at 513 Seventh Street.

Inyart said this ordinance affirms the property is surplus and can be now sold.

“This just declares it surplus property and gives us the ability to market it by various means to sell,” Inyart said.

At the Jan. 2 Charleston City Council meeting, the council approved the loan to purchase a new ambulance for the Charleston Fire Department and two resolutions that would renew annual contractual agreements with the Coles County Regional Planning and Developmental Commission.

The city will purchase a new 2013 Ford Medtec Ambulance for the Charleston Fire Department with the loan of $154,210 and a fixed tax rate of 1.73 percent.

The contracts renewed would provide technical assistance services and revolving loan fund administration and coordination services to the city.

Inyart said the technical assistance services help write and administer the grants.

On the other hand, the revolving loan fund is set up to help businesses, he said.

Inyart said the money in the loan fund is originally from a grant fund.

Amanda Wilkinson can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].