The Top 10 Stories of 2011: No. 2 - Tax Rate Goes Down

Vernon Patch is taking a look back at 10 stories that sum up life in town during 2011.

Here is No. 3 - Taxes.

So those tax bills that just came in the mail?

Check out the bottom line. That number should be lower than the previous bill.

That's because the tax rate dropped from the 2010-11 level of 30.02 mills to 29.9 mills for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

The current $79,293,749 budget represents an increase of $572,290 - or .73 percent - over the 2010-11's $78.7 million spending package.

Education accounts for $47.4 million, down .2 percent; general government $25.5 million, down .38 percent; and debt service $6.2 million, up 13.96 percent.

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10. Community spirit.

9. Development.

8. 9/11 - a decade later.

7. Mears strikes a Heisman pose.

6. The Tasty Chick legend lives on.

5. Conway takes over as superintendent.

4. Construction starts on a new arts center.

3. A wild election season.