Joplin City Council Special Meeting - August 25, 2025: Property Tax Levy and Library District Tax Rate
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Joplin City Council Special Meeting - August 25, 2025
The Joplin City Council held a special meeting on August 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the fifth floor council chambers to discuss and vote on the proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 property tax levy for the city and the Joplin Public Library District. The meeting included a public hearing, staff presentation, and an emergency ordinance vote.
Consent Calendar
- The council approved a motion to excuse Mrs. Carlin's absence, with eight present and one absent.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition during the public hearing on the property tax rate.
Discussion Items
- Mrs. Haas (city staff) presented the proposed property tax levy for 2025-2026. Key points:
- The maximum authorized property tax levy is 54 cents. The CPI established by the state auditor is 2.9%.
- Property tax provides nearly 1.5% of general government revenue, funding health, parks, and solid waste activities.
- Staff recommended accepting the rate calculated using the state auditor's worksheet: 17.1010 cents per $100 assessed valuation for the city (a decrease of 0.0036 from 0.1746) and 23.82 cents for the library district (a decrease of 0.0077 from 24.59).
- Total rate decreases from .4205 to .4092 per $100 assessed valuation.
- Property tax expected to generate $1,342,977 for the city and $1,666,549 for the library.
- For a home with assessed valuation of $100,000, the annual property tax (city and library) decreases from $79.90 to $77.75, a decrease of $2.15.
- City revenue increase: $29,970 from new construction/territory and $37,005 from CPI reassessment.
- Library revenue increase: $21,045 from new construction/territory and $46,375 from CPI reassessment.
- New construction/territory assessed value: city $17,611,390; library $9,331,720.
- Total assessed value increased from $161,264,438 in 2024 to $818,089,467 in 2025.
- Staff recommended approval on an emergency basis due to state statute requiring tax rate setting by end of August.
Key Outcomes
- Council passed Council Bill 2025-530 on an emergency basis, with eight votes in favor and one absent (Mrs. Carlin). The ordinance levies taxes for the city of Joplin at 17.1010 cents per $100 assessed valuation and for the Joplin Public Library District at 23.82 cents per $100 assessed valuation for the year 2025.
- No other business was discussed, and the meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the regular or the special city council meeting of the Joplin City Council for Monday, August the 25th, 2025. I call this meeting to order. Reading of the special call. Notice is hereby given at the city council of the city of Joplin, Missouri will hold a special meeting beginning at 6 o'clock p.m. on Monday, August 25th, 2025 in the fifth floor council chambers, 602 South Main Street to discuss the topics below. Roll call. Mr. Bard. Present. Ms. Carlin. Mr. Koppel. Present. Mr. Ditarr. Present. Dr. Farnham. Present. Mr. Jackson. Present. Mr. Lawson. Present. Mr. Shaw. Present. Mayor Cortez. Present. Mr. Mayor. Mr. Detar. Second. Motion's been made in property segment for the excuse of Mrs. Carlin's absence. Please vote. That passes age in favor with one absent. Public hearings. It is requested that persons wishing to testify before the city council follow these rules. Approach the podium and state your name clearly for the record. Please give your testimony as briefly and completely as possible. By the rules of the city council, you have five minutes within which to give your testimony. Please follow the clock in the dice in front of you. You must complete your testimony within the five-minute time limit. The city council of the city of Joplin through this introduction accepts into evidence 2012 comprehensive plan, the zoning code of the city of Joplin, the subdivision regulations of the city of Joplin, the telecommunications ordinance, and the stormwater management regulations of the city of Joplin being dependencies 29A, 29B, 29D, 29E, and 29F of the Joplin Municipal Code. Report of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Recommendations of the city staff and other written documentation presented as that information applies to each public hearing.
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