The College Station city council adopts its fiscal year 2024 budget, property tax rate, and fee schedule.
The votes were unanimous on setting the property tax rate and fee schedule.
While the property tax rate goes down one cent, more money will be generated due to new valuation and increases in existing property values.
The vote on the fiscal year 2024 budget was 6-1.
Elizabeth Cunha supported the amount of money being spent, but she voted no because of how the money is being spent.
One reason Cunha voted no was due to a drop in the percentage of the budget going to the police department. Deputy city manager Jeff Capps says the police and fire departments have more money and more people compared with five years ago.
Cunha also opposed city staff paying for valet parking at conventions. Councilman Dennis Maloney said that was required at some convention sites.
Councilman Bob Yancy brought up that College Station’s total budget reflects “tens of millions of dollars less than our sister city. It reflects a property tax rate 20 percent less than the same. And yet we’re serving tens of thousands more taxpayers.”
Click below to hear some comments from the August 24, 2023 College Station city council meeting.