NOTE: This story have been corrected and updated from a previous version that incorrectly reported the city council had decided to allow a public vote to dissolve the city of Gold Bar.
The Gold Bar City Council decided Tuesday night to put a proposed tax increase on the November ballot in an attempt to rescue their 102-year-old city from financial ruin.
Among the ideas considered to avoid bankruptcy was dissolving the town completely. That proposal was knocked down.
Instead, the 2,100 residents will decide if they want institute a levy that would cost the average homeowner in the city about $10.85 per month.
The levy would increase the average yearly property tax from $200 to $330.
Mayor Joe Beavers said a number of lawsuits, stemming from public records requests, have driven the town it to its precarious financial position.
“All of those (suits) have fallen flat to date,” Beavers said. “However, we are going broke winning our lawsuits.”
Legal expenses have cost Gold Bar $350,000 over the past few years. That equates to about 70 percent of the city's $500,000 general fund.
A number of residents said at Tuesday’s meeting that they would take on the tax burden if it meant saving their town. The voters will make that determination in November.
