By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Three citizens spoke to Del Rio City Council members Tuesday, urging council members to consider raises for police officers and firefighters, to remember the city’s elderly and to keep in mind that some residents struggle to pay their taxes.
The citizens made their comments during a required public hearing on the city’s proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget, held at the start of the council’s regular meeting.
Mayor Al Arreola opened the public hearing at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday. He invited citizens to speak for or against the proposed budget.
Former City Councilman Steve Webb was the first to approach the podium.
Webb told the council, “I’m concerned about the budget. You
have two contracts coming due, one with the police (officers) and one with the fire(fighters) that are going to affect the budget.
“We have to look at that when we’re looking at whether we give a raise (to other city employees) or increase taxes or don’t increase taxes because the (raises for police and fire) not going to be little raises. I can tell you right now. They’re not going to put up with it. They’re going to leave, so we need to do everything we can to have a strong budget, and by putting tax cuts or leaving things the same, it’s not going to help, so think about that when you’re looking at the budget.
“Public safety comes first. I spent 34 years doing it,” Webb finished.
Del Rioan Bea Vallejo spoke next.
She said, “Good evening, mayor, council. I’m really concerned about having our taxes raised. I’m glad to hear that you want to keep them the way that we have them. That would be the best thing. Our elderly are no longer able to buy house insurance, and they’re no longer able to make their home repairs.
“We are a retirement community, and we need to start thinking about that. Their money is not going to increase by a large amount. And you guys are wasting a lot of our money, taxpayers’ money,” Vallejo charged.
“The other thing that you need to work on is on the appraisal district board. You keep sending people who keep raising our valuations, and nobody wants to take responsibility. Everybody wants to blame it on legislation, everybody wants to blame it on the (state) comptroller, but you know what? We have a say-so. If we put a board there, we expect the board to say yes or no.
“You cannot be comparing us to San Antonio, Brackett(ville), Eagle Pass. We are unique in our own way. And it is so important that whatever money we give you, you make good use of it because we’re in debt, $90 million-plus in debt and we have nothing to show for that, nothing,” Vallejo added.
She continued, “Our streets should be the best streets, and we should have a beautiful entrance at every entrance to our city. There should be no trash anywhere. This is ridiculous. I know that some of you are new to the (council) and you’re inheriting this, but you know what? You better take responsibility because the citizens are getting tired of it. It’s gotten to the point where if you’re not going to do for us, we’re going to have to find someone who will, all right?
“So please be vigilant (with) our money and take care of the tax money that we are giving you because it takes a lot from all of us, and a lot of us have very little to give you,” Vallejo finished.
Del Rioan Steve Nuñez was the last of the three speakers.
“When I got here, I was coming for the same thing. I heard the tax (rate) was going to be increased, and then I heard it wasn’t, but I’m a tax preparer for Del Rio, and I’ve been doing it for 33 years. I’m seeing right now that people are having problems trying to pay their taxes, not just for their homes, but all around.
“That’s why I came (to speak), because there are a lot of people having issues with taxes, and (Vallejo) said literally everything I wanted to, but she did wonderful, and that’s all I need to say,” Nuñez finished.
Arreola asked if anyone else wished to address the council and when no one rose to speak, he closed the public hearing, announcing the time as 6:40 p.m.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
