The Archer City Commission unanimously approved a 6.4322 proposed millage rate on Tuesday during a special meeting preceding a budget workshop, allowing for a tax increase as the city continues its fiscal recovery. 

The commission delayed the proposed millage vote from its July 14 commission meeting after citizens requested a budget that could justify the potential tax increase to the current 5.5479 millage. 

The proposed rate would be considered a tax increase since it would be above the rollback rate of 5.2910 mills. The rollback rate shows the millage where cities would generate the same amount of tax revenue as the current fiscal year.  

Some citizens expressed similar concerns on Tuesday, but the commission continued with its vote before a budget workshop. 

“Max millage is scary to the citizens,” said Karen Fiore during public comment. “And you’re going to adopt this before you have any discussion on the budget tonight.” 

The City Commission must still pass a preliminary and final vote on the new millage rate in September. If approved, the 6.4322 millage rate would generate around $358,000 in property taxes for the city.  

The total estimated property values in Archer, minus exemptions, reached $57,500,000. The net new cost of construction is $214,000.     

Over the past year, the Archer commission has worked to recover from a financial disaster and repay debts and taxes. 

Bill Lewandowski said the city is basing the millage off assumptions because it hasn’t audited the 2024-25 year yet. Mayor Fletcher Hope said the auditors should start the process on Aug. 12 to finish by September. 

“There’s lots of assumptions here, not a lot of data,” Lewandowski said. “I just can’t see how you can possibly make a decision based upon all these assumptions.” 

Gene Arnold said he was in favor of the increase with the understanding that the city needs income and there are few ways to generate it other than raising taxes. He said the city might benefit from a higher millage cap ahead of municipal service taxing unit negotiations for law enforcement.  

“We pretty much know just from what we’ve been handed that the budget is going to be very similar to last year with hopefully some tweaks and the categories cleaned up,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to have that traumatic of a difference.” 

Archer will hold its next regular commission meeting at 6 p.m. on Aug. 11 at City Hall before its next budget workshop at 6 p.m. on Aug. 21. 

The tentative vote for the 2025-26 millage rate and budget will be on Sept. 10.