TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – Tax rates for housing are not changing for Longview, despite the higher projected revenue.
“If your property value went up, something we don’t do but the appraisal district does, or you built a new property that wasn’t previously on the books – that is now getting taxes. In total, the city is getting a couple hundred thousand dollars more in property taxes, but we are accomplishing that while keeping rates steady. ” said Richard Yeakley, the City of Longview Public Information Officer
City Council discussed fees and charges last night, with Mayor Kristen Ishihara presenting the changes.
Concerns over road maintenance and mentoring program budgets were key points in public comment. Council listened to the public, but other changes were made to counter-balance. Including cutting all one-time purchases.
“There are cuts that need to come out of the budget. Obviously less fees, which would provide revenue to the city, means we would have to talk about taking some things out of the budget that was originally proposed,” said Mayor Ishihara at the budget meeting yesterday.
Taxable property value jumped from nearly $7.5 billion to $9.42 billion in two years.
In the same time, tax rates have gone down from .5789 cents per $100 to .5619 cents.
The total operating budget for the city will sit around $95.5 million.
Council states their tight budget throughout the process, with raising property tax discussed at one point.
Ultimately, water and wastewater rates were raised as property taxes felt to be too much from the council.
“Over the course of subsequent discussions, one of the things that was talked about is, what is our appetite for maybe increasing the property tax rate. What they ultimately decided, was given the difficult times that are being experience by all the residents, that it is not the right time to ask the residents to pony up more in terms of property taxes,” said Yeakley.
Another cut made to the budget was the contract for litter pick-up with the House of Disciples in Longview.
Instead lowering the budget by $75,000, to $50,000, and determining later how to address litter pick-up.
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