BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL HOLDS BRIEF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE
Public hearing for the proposed Brenham city tax rate was quiet at today’s (Thursday) city council meeting.
The council is proposing a property tax rate of 51.7 cents per $100 valuation, the same rate as last year. Of this rate, 32 cents make up maintenance and operations, and 19.7 cents will be for debt service.
According to Chief Financial Officer Carolyn Miller, this rate will draw in higher tax revenues due to higher property values in the city. Miller said this increase in property taxes will cover the addition of several full-time public safety positions.
The council will issue the first reading of the tax rate at a special council meeting on Monday, September 17th. The second reading and adoption of the tax rate is scheduled for Thursday, September 20th.
The city council also viewed the Washington County Appraisal District’s budget, presented by Chief Appraiser Willy Dilworth. The budget, totaling $829,836, is nearly a $7,000 increase over last year’s budget.
The council approved the district’s request to retain accumulated funds—totaling $24,571—for pictometry services in the year 2020. They also accepted its request to reallocate $15,000 in contingency funds towards a computer backup system. Dilworth said he plans for the offsite backup system to be located at Brenham High School, but the district still requires a backup generator for the system.
The city council would then adjourn into executive session, to discuss the purchase of three acres of land for a future second fire station. The land is located south of Highway 290, on Chappell Hill Street.