Washington Grove residents will see their property taxes go up 22 percent next year — and that's the way they want it.

To keep money in the town reserves, residents voted Saturday in favor of raising their property tax rate by double the increase proposed by the treasurer.

About 70 of the hamlet's 386 registered voters approved of increasing the town property tax rate by 4 cents rather than the 2 cents proposed in the original spending plan, Treasurer Mary Challstrom said Monday. Voter turnout for the election was 130.

The rate will increase from $0.181 to $0.221 per $100 in assessed value.

That means for a home in Washington Grove assessed at $500,000, the property tax bill will increase by $200, from $905 to $1,105 per year.

Washington Grove will use $20,000 less in reserve funds in fiscal 2011 than initially proposed and the budget's overall size will not change.

The final adopted operating budget of just more than $490,000 represents about a 5 percent decrease from fiscal 2010.

The town, which has 570 residents, is not expecting any state highway user revenue in the coming fiscal year after its expected $45,700 in fiscal 2010 was slashed midyear by 90 percent.

Tax duplication revenue from the county, which Challstrom expected to decrease by 23 percent, actually decreased by 25 percent.

The town will get about $35,000, some $11,700 less than in fiscal 2010.

The dwelling unit charge, which covers trash and recycling collection, is proposed to remain flat at $224 per home.

The reduced revenue means Ridge Road, which is in need to repaving, will go unrepaired, Challstrom said.

The budget includes no furloughs or layoffs. Washington Grove has two full-time employees, three part-time year-round employees and 20 to 25 seasonal employees.

In other elections news, Mayor Darrell Anderson, who was unopposed, won with 128 votes.

Council woman Marida Hines was re-elected with 80 votes, and Bill Robertson was elected to his first term on the council, with 96 votes. He will replace Charles Challstrom.