DECATUR - A vote on raising property taxes in order to pay down an increase in pension funds next year was postponed Monday by the Decatur City Council.

City Manager Ryan McCrady had recommended raising the property tax rate $0.09 per $100 of equalized assessed value last month as a way to curb an increase in the amount of city employee pensions the state has mandated the city must pay.

The proposed increase would bring the city's tax rate to $1.32 per $100 of the home's equalized value, up from the current $1.23, according to city staff's plans.

A number of citizens - most of them who have announced they will run for city council or mayor in the April election - stepped forward in opposition to the property tax increase. Among the prospective candidates were Adam Brown, Steve Daniels, Marcia Phillips and Gloria Bates-Cole.

While speaking before the council, McCrady said he realized his proposal might not be popular, but that it is objective.

"You hired me to bring forward a professional recommendation to you and not to count votes and not to bring something forward that I thought had the best chance of passing," McCrady said.

McCrady said the level of scrutiny the public has placed on the levy proposal was part of his intent to make sure there was public discussion of the issue.

"I wanted this to be a public process," McCrady said. "That's why we sent the information out ahead of time. I want people to see what we're doing."

Council members were split on different details of the levy increase. City councilman Mike McElroy said he would support increasing the property tax to make sure the pensions of city employees are paid down for the foreseeable future.

"If you have a bill you pay it -if somebody owes me, I want them to pay me," McElroy said. "I don't want to raise the taxes, but we have debt, and (the payment) has got to come from somewhere."

The council will convene next Monday to continue the discussion on the proposal.

In other business, the mayor signed a resolution recognizing the service of the city's auxiliary police force. Decatur Police Chief James A. Anderson spoke before the council alongside members of the auxiliary police force, a group of volunteer officers who are often called on to help during chaotic times like parades and the Decatur Celebration.

Mayor Michael Carrigan presented each officer with a medal and thanked them for their service.

"You are among the many unsung heroes of this community," Carrigan said.

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