Council candidates answer budget questions
Alcorn, Magrath take part in Marshall forum
Trending
MARSHALL -- Questions about Marshall's city budget and taxes made up the bulk of a forum for Marshall City Council candidates on Thursday.
John Alcorn and Larry Magrath, the candidates in the only contested Marshall council race this year, answered questions from a moderator and members of the public.
Both candidates said the city budget and tax levy were among the biggest issues facing Marshall.
"Probably the biggest issue is always the budget - trying to stay within a budget and keeping taxes at the lowest level we can," said Alcorn, a current city council member.
Alcorn said addressing the budget and levy meant looking carefully for ways to lower costs.
Magrath emphasized the need for the city to consider making possible cuts, even difficult ones.
"Right now, the preliminary tax levy for 2027 is 9.59% . . . I'd like to get on a path where the tax levy does not go over the rate of inflation," Magrath said.
There are a total of four Marshall City Council seats up for election this fall, but only one of those races is contested. Alcorn, a current council member, and challenger Magrath are running for a seat representing Marshall's Ward 1. Council member See Moua-Leske is running unopposed for re-election in Ward 2, candidate Eric DeGroot is running in a special election to fill a council vacancy in Ward 2, and council member Craig Schafer is running unopposed for re-election in Ward 3.
Candidates at Thursday's forum were asked whether the city's 9.59% preliminary levy was justified.
Magrath noted that Marshall's final levy amounts have often come out lower than the preliminary levy amount. However, he said, "It needs to come down, and it just can't go on year after year being what it is."
"That's something we work on quite extensively," Alcorn said.
During the city's annual budget process, council members meet to scrutinize city spending, and costs often get "whittled down" from the original proposals, he said.
"Now we are at the 9.59%. Will it come down more? Very possibly. There's lots of determining factors," he said.
Magrath and Alcorn were also asked how the city should address rising costs like personnel costs and health insurance costs.
Alcorn said that the city had to balance the need to keep costs low, with the need to be competitive to recruit quality workers.
"It's a fine line," he said.
"I would say we have to just scrutinize it," Alcorn said. "We have to look at what is causing those prices to go up. Is it something that is beyond our control, or is it something that we could possibly have some control over?"
"It's a challenge. There might have to be across-the-board cuts," or possibly city employees might have to pay more out-of-pocket for health care, Magrath said. "I'm sorry, but we have to share the burden. The taxpayers can't keep this very large tax levy increase year after year after year."
Magrath also said the city might possibly consider more deferrals of equipment purchases, or reducing the budget for employee travel and training.
Alcorn suggested watching where money is spent to make sure it isn't wasted.
"It's always a matter of looking into what is the best way to do what we need to do," Alcorn said.
Alcorn and Magrath were asked if they would support construction of a data center in Marshall.
"My initial reaction would be yes, I would support it if it brings in jobs, and it helps the economy to grow," Alcorn said. "Now, I'd want to know for sure all of the drawbacks before I would make a decision like that. But yeah, I think I would support it."
"I'm not an automatic no," Magrath said.
But he also had reservations.
"It has to be strictly vetted. There are lots of complaints about data centers raising local electric rates. There's lots of concern about the water they use, the noise they make."