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Tax rate stays same; bills may rise
The $2.42 per $1000 assessed value may drop during San Antonio's city budget public hearings.
By MOLLY MOORHEAD
Published August 4, 2005
SAN ANTONIO - City commissioners this week set the tentative property tax rate at $2.42 per $1,000 of assessed, taxable property value, holding last year's rate.
The state still considers it a tax increase because it is higher than the so-called rollback rate of roughly $2.12 per $1,000, which takes into account higher property values and would generate the same amount of revenue as last year for the city.
So property owners may still see increases in their city tax bills because of higher assessments.
The tax rate could still be lowered, but not raised, at two upcoming public hearings on the budget. The first is 6:30 p.m. Sept 6.
Property taxes in 2005-06 are expected to generate $104,000 of the total $616,829 in anticipated revenues. And San Antonio expects to collect about $61,500 in Penny for Pasco sales tax revenues.
On the expenditure side, big-ticket items include $106,375 to pay staff wages, $73,500 for police protection from the Sheriff's Office and $50,000 for a stormwater study. After borrowing $300,000 last year to pave streets, the city will begin paying off the 10-year loan in annual payments of $36,660.
Emergency reserves might take a hit because of unexpected expenses in the water system. The city has had to move a water main because of the widening project on State Road 52. The water tower also needs extensive work, and the city is buying an emergency generator. After those projects are paid for, the contingency fund is expected to dwindle to less than $77,000.
In other news, former commissioner Dennis Phillips was sworn in Tuesday to complete the term of Nisa Woodham, who resigned.
Phillips had just a few months away, after he opted not to seek re-election in April. But the commission asked him to return after Woodham stepped down.
Phillips, who first came on board in 1999, will take over the city's building and zoning responsibilities.
[Last modified August 4, 2005, 01:05:20]
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