The Washington City Council plans to examine the city’s special assessments.  In the past, when a road improvement is made that benefits a limited area of property owners, it’s those property owners that pay for the work.  It’s done through the special assessments which levy an additional property tax for only those people that get a special benefit. And that cost can be paid all at once or over many years.

In a memo to the Washington City Council, City Administrator Brent Hinson indicates that there will be many projects over the next few years that might be considered such projects.  He is looking for direction from the council about whether there should be a consistent policy to guide each of the projects.  Hinson says that because the special assessment projects can be contentious, it is helpful to have a united council that agrees about how the projects are done.

The council will consider such policy at their meeting Wednesday evening.