In a special meeting Tuesday morning, four Midland City Council members approved top-end tax rates that could increase resident’s property taxes by 0.04%. All but one council member is for discussing the increase.
“Right now is not the time to be increasing our tax rate,” District 4 Councilman J. Ross Lacy said, “People are suffering and as city leaders we need to lead by example and show them that we can loosen our belts and cut our budget like families have had to do across our city because of the time frame.”
Lacy feels cuts should be made in general funds and the cost of living adjustment before raising taxes.
He said the state of the economy isn’t where it needs to be to begin charging residents more.
“While people are suffering I cannot in good conscious ask them to put more upfront without them being on voter approval,” Lacy said.
Lacy tells us city leaders approved the effective rate, plus 4 percent.
The council decision is concerning residents.
“I don’t agree with it, I don’t like it, that’s why my wife and I plan on moving out of Midland, Texas ASAP,” Troy Taylor said, “But hopefully it won’t go through.”
Lacy anticipates if it does go through, the approved amount could likely be the effective rate, plus 3 percent.
He strongly urges the public to attend the hearings to have their opinions heard by the council.
“Most of the time we have these hearings and no one shows up,” Lacy said, “I encourage citizens to come out and voice their displeasure if they don’t want their taxes going up.”
August 16th will be the first of two public hearings, the second will be August 24th. On August 30th the council will hold a public hearing concerning the 2017 budget and a budget will be adopted on September 13th.
The council members at the special hearing Tuesday were Lacy, Spencer Robnett, John Love III, and Sharla Hotchkiss.
(Information from YourBasin.com)
