By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members, with a sole opposing vote from Mayor Al Arreola, approved the
city’s property tax rate for the coming year, setting it one cent higher than last year’s rate.
The council took action on the property tax rate during a special meeting Monday. The
first order of business for the meeting was a public hearing on the proposed tax rate.
After the public hearing, the council next discussed and approved the city’s Fiscal Year
2025-2026 budget.
Following the approval of the budget, the council moved on to consider an ordinance
“ratifying the property tax revenue increase reflected in the FY 2025-2026 budget that
will require raising more revenue from property taxes than in the FY 2024-2025 budget.”
An informational memo by city budget analyst Flavio Aguilar included as part of the
council’s agenda packet notes, “Per Texas Local Government Code Section 102.007(c), if
a proposed budget requires raising more revenue from property taxes than the previous
year, the governing body must hold a separate vote to ratify the tax increase. This vote is
distinct from the votes to adopt the budget or set the tax rate.”
Aguilar noted the proposed budget presented to the council included a property tax rate of
$0.7070 per $100 of assessed valuation, an amount that exceeded the no-new-revenue tax
rate of $0.650849 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The property tax rate of $0.7070 is one cent more than the city’s current property tax rate
of $0.6970.
After City Secretary Mari Acosta read the heading of the agenda item, Arreola asked for
a motion.
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez made a motion “to ratify the property tax increase
reflected in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget.”
Councilman Randy Quiñones gave the second.
A record vote was required, with Acosta polling each council member individually.
Gutierrez, Quinõnes, Arreola, Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus, Councilman J.P. Sanchez,
Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez and Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. voted in favor
of the motion.
The council next considered the two ordinances setting the tax rate for the coming year.
The first ordinance set the maintenance and operation (M&O) portion of the tax rate, and
the second set the debt service (I&S – interest and sinking) portion of the tax rate.
Acosta again read the heading of the first ordinance, and Arreola called for a motion.
Lopez said, “I move that the maintenance and operation component of the tax rate be set
at $0.323009 per $100 of valuation,” with Gutierrez giving the second.
The vote, again a roll call vote, was 6-1 in favor of the motion, with only Arreola voting
in opposition.
After Arreola called for a motion on the second ordinance, Gutierrez said, “Mayor, I
move that the interest and sinking component of the tax rate be set at $0.383991 per $100
of valuation,” with Martinez giving the second.
The motion passed on a 6-1 vote, with Arreola again giving the sole opposing vote.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
