Forks City Council members voted unanimously to not take a 1 percent property tax increase for residents inside the city limits. The 1 percent property tax increase was on the agenda at the regular council meeting held Monday evening, Nov. 13.

Voting against the tax increase were council members, John Hillcar, Bill Brager, Ken Ayers and Juanita Weissenfel. Councilman Jon Preston was absent from the meeting.

Hillcar said he voted against the increase because he felt it was unfair to residents and businesses that own property.

Prior to the Council meeting, the council received its first draft of the city’s budget for 2018. It was the first workshop. Staff gave presentations about capital projects.

The street budget will be $372,000, down from $385,000 in the 2017 budget.

The overall budget is set at $6,709,500. A copy of the preliminary budget may be requested from the Clerk’s office at Forks City Hall, 500 E. Division St., Forks.

There will be another workshop on Nov. 27 which will focus on lodging tax applications. The last workshop/hearing will be Dec. 4 where Council members will meet to fix the final budget. At that time citizens may present oral or written comments for or against any part of the budget. The council will then vote on Dec. 11.