MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Members of Morgantown City Council are looking for additional revenue options.
Mayor Danielle Trumble said council wants to hear from residents later this month on what will be the best approach towards increasing revenues related to the city’s $3-a-week municipal service fee.
“On Tuesday, April 28th at 6 p.m. in City Hall, we will have a public input session, the user fee and sales tax topics will definitely be in that April Committee of the Whole at 6,” said Trumble.
The discussion comes as city officials work through a reduction in revenues that prompted budget reductions for nearly all city departments for next budget year.
Trumble said she expects conversations regarding the municipal service fee, which everyone pays who works in Morgantown, to be ongoing.
“This coming year’s budget, they’re anticipating just over $4 million, between $4 and $4.25 million,” said Trumble. “Police equipment and personnel account for about 40 percent of that, and then another 30 percent goes towards paving and right-of-way improvements.”
Morgantown has used the municipal service fee for street paving. Trumble said more work needs to be done.
“There have been some complaints lately with roads that look like maybe they’re in worse shape being ignored, so the city went through and had our consultant do a roadway assessment, and I think that’ll be reflected in this year’s paving plan.”
City council could also consider increasing revenues through the additional sales tax which is now at one percent in Morgantown. Trumble encourages as much public feedback as possible.
“We always need more money towards paving, and it’s no secret that roads are one of the biggest complaints around here and even though we like to say a lot of the most problematic ones are state-owned, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be taking care of our own,” she said.