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Summerfield taxpayers will get a reprieve next fiscal year.

The Town Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to suspend its property tax.

A half-cent decrease in taxes — from 3.5 cents to 3 cents per $100 of assessed value — was proposed for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Councilwoman Alicia Flowers insisted that the council reconsider the property tax holiday she suggested in May.

“There’s no reason we can’t do everything in this budget and not collect a property tax,” she said. “We can afford that.”

The proposed half-cent decrease would have saved the owners of a $300,000 home about $20, Flowers said. “That same owner could save $60 with a tax holiday.”

In the May meeting, the council voted 3-2 against the holiday. Flowers and Councilwoman Becky Strickland voted for it.

In Tuesday’s meeting, Councilwoman Dena Barnes also voted in favor of the holiday.

“It’s due to the economic times,” Barnes said. “But this is for one year only.”

Councilmen John Wray and Bob Williams were against eliminating the tax completely because the town must forfeit its share of the county’s sales tax in the 2010-11 fiscal year. They also said a one-year holiday can lead to many.

“Good luck with the one time,” Williams said.

The town will need to dip into its savings to make up for the $382,100 in lost revenue.

“We can do this without cutting into the town’s principle for one year on the interest alone,” Strickland said.

At the May meeting, Flowers said the town has $8.6 million in savings.

The tax holiday, as it stands, will be for only one year.

“We’re hoping that the economic times are better by next year,” Barnes said.

“And if they’re not, we’ll look at our fund balance and see what we can do the next time.”

Though the council met for nearly five hours, there are still action items that the council needs to consider.

The council will reconvene at

6:30 p.m. June 23 at the Summerfield Community Center.

Contact Tiffany S. Jones at 373-7157 or tiffany.jones@news-record.com