A $20 million bond issue for repaving city streets, bringing with it a probable property-tax increase, is going to Durham voters in November.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday to put the bonds on this fall's general-election ballot, after hearing several citizens object that the timing is wrong.

"It's the worst time, the wrong time, the wrong season, with all of the economic downfalls we are facing," said Lavonia Allison, chairwoman of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People.

If voters approve, the bond issue would repave about 290 lane miles of city streets, according to Public Works Director Katie Kalb. It would complete a to-do list the city has been working its way through with bonds approved in 2005 and 2007.

"We know the streets need to be paved," said Larry Hester, a Durham Committee vice chairman, "but we need to be careful ... before imposing another burden on our citizens."

Both the city and county raised their property-tax rates for the current fiscal year. The city finance office has estimated that first-year debt service on the street bonds would require a tax of 0.76 cent per $100 valuation, or $15.20 on a house assessed at $200,000.

"The bond issue basically is a tax increase or a [city] service reduction," said Don Lebke, who suggested that street repair should be paid for from the regular city budget.

"Hold off on this little tax increase," he said. "Drive a little slower, and we'll get to the roads when we get to the roads."

One citizen, Bob Novak, favored the bonds without reservation.

"Durham is an absolute mess when it comes to potholes," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting streets that are nice and smooth instead of ... having to run and get [front-end] alignments."

Responding to the comments, Mayor Bill Bell said surveys of citizen opinion have consistently shown that improving the streets' deteriorated condition is a high priority.

Whether the streets are repaired with a bond issue or through annual budgets, he said, "it's going to take a tax increase. If we do pay as you go, it's a City Council call. ... In a referendum, the public makes a call. ...

Without the bonds, he said, catching up on street maintenance could take five years.

"If in fact this referendum passes, we want a very urgent plan to get this work done in two years."

Moving fast could save money, Bell said, because the recession has held construction prices down.