MF Council holds line on tax rate
GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH/THE HIGHLANDER
Members of the Marble Falls Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee are recognized for development of the new city plan at the Marble Falls City Council Meeting Tuesday, Aug. 2, are members receiving individual plaques from Mayor John Packer, second from left, are from left Mayor Pro Tem Jane Marie Hurst; William Haddock; Chairman Brian Shirley; Charles Watkins, and. Not pictured are former Council Member Richard Lewis; P&Z Commissioner Fred Zagst; Mark McCary and citizen and business representatives Jessica Cayce, Matt Fields, Chris Garza, Phil Hiser, John Kemper, Greg Ritchie, Jim Weber and Jane Knapik, PhD.
BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH
THE HIGHLANDER
The Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 2, voted to hold the line on the ad valorem tax rate.
They voted to maintain a rate of $0.6483 or 64.83 cents per $100,000 valuation.
“This proposal keeps the rate just under the effective rate,” said Finance Director Margie Cardenas. “That would have been .6485. The roll back rate would have been .6656. This will be our fifth year in a row to maintain the same tax rate. And, as you are adopting the same rate, two hearings are not required.
“Taxpayers will see no increase unless they have an increase in valuation.”
Cardenas noted that tax payers within the freeze category--65 years of age or older or handicapped--has continued to increase. Nonetheless, the total revenue expected from property taxes is $4,361,498.
“In a perfect world, half of the revenue would go to the maintenance and operation side (M&O) and half to the interest and sinking fund (I&S) for debt maintenance,” said Cardenas. “Currently, 68 percent goes to I&S. With this tax rate, some of our revenue can shift to operations. We propose 64 percent for I&S and 36 percent to M&O.” (an I&S rate of .4157 and an M&O rate of .326).
“This is one of the goals City Manager Mike Hodge and I have for the next several years: moving closer to that 50-50,” added Cardenas.
Also approved was the the design contract between the City of Marble Falls and S.D.Kallman, LP, the engineering firs for Phase 4 of the Marble Falls Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project.
“Steve Kallman's company designed the first three phases of the project,” noted City Engineer Eric Belaj. “His company has been used by a number of projects in this area, including the new Kingsland Water Supply Corporation Plant.
“After five or six months of design work we hope construction will begin and to have everything up and running by the end of next year.”
Mayor John Packer praised the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee for their work to develop a new city plan and presented each member present with a lucite plaque. Each of the 16 members will receive one of the momentoes of their work. They are Chairman Brian Shirley, who serves also on the Capital Improvement Plan Committee; Mayor Pro Tem Jane Marie Hurst; former City Council member Richard Lewis; Planning & Zoning Comissioners William Dee Haddock and Fred Zagst; Mark McCary of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce; Steve Reitz, president of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors; Charles Watkins, PhD, who serves also on the Parks and Recreation Commission and and citizen and business representatives Jessica Cayce, Matt Fields, Chris Garza, Phil Hiser, John Kemper, Greg Ritchie, Jim Weber and Jane Knapik, PhD.
