As the city of College Station looks at making up a revenue shortfall in this year’s budget of more than $5 million dollars, the city council is exercising a provision in a new state law raising property tax revenue in the 2021 fiscal year budget by as much as eight percent.
While the 2019 legislature reduced the cap to 3.5 percent without holding an election, an exception was made when the governor or president issues a disaster declaration.
As the Bryan city council did in June, the College Station council approved the staff recommendation that is based on the ongoing pandemic disaster.
College Station finance director Mary Ellen Leonard says the action gives the current and future councils more flexibility. And Leonard repeatedly said this won’t increase the city’s property tax rate.
Click below for comments from Mary Ellen Leonard during the July 9, 2020 College Station city council meeting.