Pasco's property tax levy rate should go down another cent next year.

The Pasco City Council approved declining the 1 percent property tax increase allowed by law in a 6-1 vote Monday.

The city's property tax levy rate should be a little less than $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed value next year, said Pasco City Manager Gary Crutchfield.

Pasco's estimated assessed value is about $3.2 billion, which includes about $99.3 million in new construction and an increase in the state assessed utilities values of about $10 million, according to city documents.

The city will still receive about $200,000 more in property tax collections next year because of new construction, Crutchfield said. That's an increase in income without adding to what existing taxpayers are paying.

The city will collect an estimated $6.3 million in property taxes in 2012, according to city documents.

Councilman Tom Larsen, who voted against declining the 1 percent increase and saving that increase for future years, said he was voting no because he needed to do more research.

Also Monday:

-- The city council unanimously approved a tentative plan to change council districts to better balance population.

The plan would move Precinct 3 from District 1 to District 3.

However, the council plans to revisit the issue in the beginning of 2012 and discuss more drastic changes, such as decreasing the number of city council districts. Currently, there are five council members assigned to districts and two at-large members.