A fiscal 2008 tax rate of 60.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation was unanimously approved last week by the Mehlville Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

Board members voted unanimously Aug. 30 to establish the fiscal 2008 tax rate after a public hearing that drew no speakers.

The “blended” fiscal 2008 tax rate of 60.9 cents per $100 is 42.1 percent less than the legal maximum of $1.05 the board could levy and 12.8 percent less than the current rate of 69.8 cents per $100. The “blended” tax rate is a combination of four tax rates — residential property, commercial property, agricultural property and personal property.

The “blended” fiscal 2008 tax rate breaks down as follows:

• General fund — 40.6 cents. The current levy is 45 cents.

• Ambulance fund — 10.2 cents. The current levy is 14 cents.

• Alarm fund — 2.5 cents. The current levy is 2 cents.

• Pension fund — 7.6 cents. The current levy is 8.8 cents.

The Board of Directors voted Aug. 21 to establish a “blended” fiscal 2008 tax rate of 59.6 cents per $100, but learned the next day county officials had revised the district’s total assessed valuation.

The fire protection district’s assessed valuation decreased by roughly $50.7 million — to $2.5 billion from $2.551 billion.

As a result, the board conducted a second public hearing and established the revised tax rate.