Perryville residents will see a 10% reduction in their real estate property taxes this year because the city council officially approved the second reading of its tax rate ordinance at a special called meeting Monday night.

“Everybody thinks it’s great,” Mayor Brian Caldwell said. “It’s not a huge tax break, but we all want to show that we’re trying to do good things for the city.”

He said the meeting only lasted a few minutes and two of the six council members were unable to attend. The council voted 4 to 0 to approve the ordinance, which was unanimously approved by the council when it was first read at the last meeting on Sept. 5.

“It tightens our budget up that’s already tight,” Caldwell said.

During the council’s special called meeting to set the rates on Aug. 29, council member Adam Gray said, “We all know that water is an issue, so here is our chance as leaders to say, ‘We feel your pain. Here’s what we can do to help in a minor way.’”

Tax rates for real estate property will be lowered from 33.8 cents to 30.42 cents per $100. The change means a homeowner with a $100,000 house will pay $3.38 less in property taxes this year.

Personal property and vehicle and watercraft rates will remain the same as last year’s rates — 39.37 cents and 40 cents per $100, respectively.

Caldwell said, “To echo what Adam said earlier, we’re trying to do more for less.”