
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 25, 1993                   TAG: 9304250160
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SALEM RESIDENTS FACE HIGHER TAXES

Salem plans to maintain its real estate tax rate next year, but landowners will face higher tax bills because of rising property assessments.

The overall assessed value of taxable land will go up 5.45 percent. The last assessment was done two years ago.

The higher assessments will generate an extra $565,800 during the budget year that begins July 1.

City Manager Randy Smith released a proposed budget that would maintain existing city services and give municipal employees cost-of-living raises of 2.5 percent. Smith recommended restoration of merit raises of up to 5 percent for some employees.

Smith's spending plan would maintain the real estate tax rate of $1.18 per $100 in assessed value and the personal property rate of $3.20 per $100 in value.

But Smith proposed a 12 percent increase in sewer rates, which would raise the minimum monthly charge from $8.25 to $9.25.

Smith also recommended raising garbage tipping fees to help recover costs of operating the city's waste-to-energy incinerator and landfill.

City Council will vote on the budget in June following a series of budget workshops and public hearings beginning next month.

by CNB