Although the 2013 property tax levy will increase from the 2012 figure in North Bend, it doesn’t include a planned tax increase.

The new levy, adopted by the North Bend City Council Nov. 6, includes $26,435 in new construction costs, plus almost $4,000 for past levy refunds, for a total of $1,296,213.

Both Mayor Ken Hearing and Councilman Ross Loudenback commented that the council might want to consider some type of tax increase for the coming year, since the city will be locked in for that rate for the full year, once the council voted on it.

Loudenback said the council “realistically, will need to look at other options,” in the future.

Councilmen Jonathan Rosen and Dee Williamson were both firm in their commitment to no additional increases. Rosen said the difference that a 1 percent increase would make is roughly $12,000, which he was confident the city could find elsewhere, in an emergency. Also, he said, the city might not pass on a consistent 1 percent tax increase to citizens, but they were already paying “significant water and gas fees.”

Williamson said he saw no “absolute need,” for a tax increase, nor did he see a need for the city to complete its downtown plaza project, a $700,000 proposal to redevelop North Bend Way, between Bendigo and and Ballarat, in the coming year. The city received a $350,000 matching grant for the project earlier this year, and launched a citizen design contest to solicit ideas for the pedestrian-friendly space from the community.

The council unanimously approved the property tax levy at $1,296,213.

In comparison, Snoqualmie’s 2013 property tax levy was approved at $5,335,657, not including the $385,000 from recently approved Proposition 1. Carnation’s proposal for 2013, is $161,010.