‘Today, I am announcing that I will ask the Owensboro Board of Commissioners to table the ordinance to increase the occupational and net profit taxes that has been proposed as a way to offset the elimination of the Owensboro Municipal Utilities dividend for one year. I do not feel we can proceed with this recommendation without the understanding from the public as to what we are proposing and the support of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.
While I am still convinced that we need to eliminate the dividend and reduce electric rates as much as possible, the decision as to how city government is funded is one that needs to be made by the taxpayers. The additional time will allow us to better educate the public about these options. In addition, I will ask the Commission to approve the original ordinance increasing electric rates next year to provide Owensboro Municipal Utilities the necessary revenue to operate. If the decision next year is to eliminate the dividend, these rate increases can be revisited. I will recommend the first reading of this ordinance at our work session next Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The second reading will take place at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2015.’
