SAN ANGELO, TX — Today, the San Angelo City Council approved a proposed property tax rate of 0.7557 per $100 valuation for the fiscal year 2024-2025, about a nickel higher that the FY 2023-2024 rate.
This decision followed a record vote during a budget preparation meeting. It was unanimous.
The approved rate marks an uptick from the current rate of 0.7042 per $100 valuation, an increase of 0.0515 per $100 valuation.
The Tom Green County Appraisal District reported that net taxable property valuations reached $7.93 billion this year, reflecting a 3.3% increase from the previous year’s valuations.
A total of $90.8 million of new value is being added to the tax roll in the upcoming fiscal year. Tax revenue charged on new value does not count against the 3.5 percent revenue increase over last year's revenue that would require the tax rate to be approved via an election.
The increase in values and the new values added are two factors in determining property tax revenue, according to information from the city.
"Growth in these values is a positive indicator that the housing market in San Angelo is healthy and that the economy continues to have a strong base," the information stated.
The new tax rate aims to maintain and enhance city services, such as public safety needs including police body cameras, tasers, a fire department ambulance, and upgrades to public safety radio infrastructure.
Additionally, the revenue will support street maintenance, competitive pay rates for city employees, and "critical" software upgrades.
The council agreed to place the rate at the maximum allowed while avoiding a special election to approve a tax rate that would generate 3.5 percent more revenue than last year's rate. This generated more money to spend than budgeted. The council instructed staff to stash the extra tax revenue above and beyond what was budgeted into a special street maintenance fund.
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