Elizabethtown · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Elizabethtown public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
FY 2026-2027 City Budget
Resident Jose Torres argued the city keeps spending big on construction, cameras, and a $47 million amphitheater while residents face rising rents, utilities, and grocery bills — and no investment in public transportation to get workers to jobs. With an election a week away, he urged voters to press candidates on these questions.
2026 City Tax Rates
The council set all 2026 city tax rates, lowering the property tax rate for the second year in a row. If your bill still goes up, it's because the PVA reassessed your property at a higher value — the city says that's out of its control.
2026 Property Tax Rate Reduction
The real and personal property tax rate drops from 10.7 to 10.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. Motor vehicle and franchise rates stay flat. Final adoption is still pending after first readings.
FY2027 budget meetings
The general fund is down about $2 million, mostly from big land buys and a $600,000 airport loan. Occupational and property taxes are strong; restaurant, hotel, and net profits taxes are lagging. Three finance staff with over 100 years of combined experience are retiring, and the city is moving its banking to Magnolia Bank.
North Downtown CDBG improvements
The city will submit its 2026-2027 CDBG action plan to HUD with $230,656 earmarked for public improvements in the North Downtown neighborhood, following years of similar investment in the Haycraft neighborhood.
2025 Annual Report Highlights
The city's annual report shows property taxes lowered, crime down 23.7% over three years, 11.2 miles of streets paved last year ($2.65 million), traffic collisions down 5.7%, and over 2,000 feet of new or restored sidewalks. The mayor noted residents often blame the city for state and county roads it doesn't maintain, like Ring Road and North Mulberry.
City banking services contract
The city put its banking services out to bid for the first time in a while and chose Magnolia Bank for a five-year deal with two renewal options. Council members said competitive bidding on city accounts should save taxpayers significant money and urged rebidding again in five years.
Clean annual audit for the city
The city's independent auditor confirmed Elizabethtown's finances are in strong shape with a clean opinion and no compliance issues. Auditors did recommend tighter bookkeeping on federal grant timing and stronger written procurement policies.