CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. — Next month’s annexation vote, which could more than double the size of the city of Milton, faces local opposition from some of the 1,000 residents in unincorporated areas who would be affected.
“I don’t want to be part of Milton,” said Steve Harper, whose 16 acres currently are located three miles outside the city limits.
Harper was among hundreds of people who attended this week’s public hearing on the proposal.
The Cabell County Commission plans to vote on the annexation May 14.
The proposal would expand Milton’s boundaries to parts of Route 60 near the Putnam County line and to Saw Mill Road near Culloden—an area that includes 1,000 residents, Pumpkin Park, the Milton Flea Market, Blenko Glass and other businesses.
“Our mailing address is Culloden and we have a larger population than Milton does, and they’re coming up and taking it over,” Harper said.
At this week’s hearing, residents were told Milton’s new occupants will have to pay the city’s 16-percent property tax and a 2-percent utility fee while businesses would be assessed Milton’s B&O tax.
“Most of your nicer housing developments have been built up this way and so they’re wanting to come and take those housing developments into their city to increase the property tax base,” Harper said. “That’s all I can see (as motivation).”
Harper was a guest Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
“I truly believe that they tried to keep us from knowing about (the annexation) and it was just going to be a done deal.”
The commission will hold a public hearing at the Cabell County Courthouse at 10 a.m. May 14 ahead of the scheduled annexation vote.