City of Eagle Pass Recommends Tax Increase for 2014-2015 Fiscal Year

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The City of Eagle Pass City Council heard a presentation by City Manager Gloria Barrientos requesting to increase the ad valorem property taxes for next fiscal year, 2014-2015, by as much as 4.5 cents per $100 valuation in order to fund next year’s City budget at a special meeting and budget workshop held on Tuesday, August 19, 2014.

During the presentation of Agenda Item No. 14, City Manager Gloria Barrientos and Finance Department Director Jesse Rodriguez recommended to the City Council they set the proposed rollback tax rate of $ 0.510724 per $100 valuation as being the tax rate allowable by law without voters filing a possible petition to rollback the City taxes, an increase of 4.5 cents per $100 valuation from last year’s tax rate.

City Manager Gloria Barrientos stated that “the 2014-2015 effective tax rate was calculated at 0.447068 /$100 dollars, but the 2014 rollback tax rate was calculated at $ 0.510724 per $100 valuation.”

City Council also heard a submission of the 2014 publication of effective and rollback tax rates, certification of anticipated collection rate for 2014-2015, and the excess debt collections for the preceding year.

“Estimated collection debt for 2014-2015 is estimated at 100% collection,” said City Manager Gloria Barrientos.

This year’s 2014-2015 effective property tax rate is $.447068/$100, last year’s tax rate was $ .465470/$100. This year’s rollback tax rate is $0.510724/$100.

City Manager Gloria Barrientos told City Council that she recommended the proposed tax rate to be set at $ 0.510724 per $100 valuation. “This is the roll back tax rate and it does not require an election. However, it does require to be publicized for public hearing dates to inform taxpayers of the tax rate increase proposal. The breakdown for the proposed tax rate proposal is MNO it is $ 0.354042 and for INS it is $0.156652 equals to $ 0.5110694, and the proposed tax rollback rate is at $ 0.510724. The difference from last year to this year is $0.45254 (cents), that is under 5 cents. The average home evaluation is $107,045 dollars. The proposed tax amount would levy a tax of $ 546 dollars every year. The estimated yearly increase is $48.44 and the estimated monthly increase of $4.4 cents,” said Barrientos.

The City Council also had a presentation and submission of the 2014 Certified Appraisal Roll for the City of Eagle Pass.

The City Council voted unanimously in favor to set the recommended dates for public hearings for the tax increase to be held on September 2, 2014 and September 9, 2014. The public is invited to participate and voice their opinion if they agree or not on the proposed increased tax rate to their ad valorem taxes for the 2014-2015 City of Eagle Pass Fiscal Year. Any citizen who wishes to express their opinion must do so at the two public hearings scheduled for September 2nd and 9th.