By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members have approved an expansion of homestead exemptions to lessen the city property tax burden on Del Rio homeowners.
The Del Rio City Council took action on two ordinances dealing with homestead exemptions during its June 25 regular meeting.
The first agenda item dealing with the exemptions was consideration of repealing a 2023 ordinance the council had passed “to increase the property tax exemption amount for persons age 65 years or older from $7,000 to $10,000 and adopting a residential homestead exemption amount of $10,000.”
In background information provided regarding the ordinance, Interim Assistant Finance Director Roxy Soto wrote the council had approved the homestead exemption ordinance a year ago but following a closed-door meeting with its attorneys several months later, announced the ordinance as passed by the council “did not comply with state law.”
Soto said city staff recommended repealing the 2023 ordinance and replacing it with a revised ordinance, which was the next item on the June 25 agenda.
After City Secretary Mari Acosta read the heading of the agenda item for the repeal of the 2023 ordinance, Mayor Al Arreola called for a motion.
Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez made the motion to approve the ordinance repealing the 2023 measure, and Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez gave the second.
The motion passed unanimously without questions or comments from the council.
Before reading the heading of the next agenda item, Acosta told council members she had placed an exhibit – a handout – containing more information about the next item in front of them.
That handout contained the exact language that would be placed in the Del Rio Code of Ordinances once the new ordinance was approved.
Acosta then announced the next agenda item, consideration of an ordinance “amending the Code of Ordinances by increasing the property tax exemption for persons age 65 years or older from $7,000 to $10,000 and adopting a residential homestead exemption in the amount of 4 percent of the appraised value of a residence homestead.”
Arreola called for a motion, and Gutierrez made the motion to approve the ordinance, with Martinez giving the second.
Arreola then asked if there were any questions. Hearing none, he called for the vote, and the six council members present at the meeting voted in favor of the motion.
After the meeting, city staff members elaborated on the exemptions, noting the $10,000 exemption will be for homeowners age 65 and older and the 4 percent exemption will apply to all other homeowners.
After the meeting, Val Verde County Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Jackie Casanova spoke to The 830 Times about the exemptions.
“I would recommend that homeowners contact the appraisal district to make sure they are receiving the exemption,” Casanova said.
Casanova said homeowners can also check information about their property on the appraisal district’s website at www.valverdecad.org
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
