Council steps closer to tax rate approval

One of the flashpoints at the City of Gladewater’s Sept. 15 workshop’s flash points was the proposed tax rate.
The city cannot exceed the Voter Approval Rate as it’s too late to put the issue before residents, but elected officials can adopt a figure up to that rate through Sept. 30.
The bulk of the last week’s discussion was built on the ‘No New Revenue Rate’ of $0.567207 per $100 valuation, a 1.83 percent increase on the current combined rate of $0.557005.
Read more about the budget workshop online and in Thursday’s printed edition of the Mirror along with coverage of the council’s discussion of the City Treasurer  / HR Director.
With no COLA or other increases planned in the budget, “Did you want to revisit the salary?” councilman William Blackmon asked Mayor Brandy Flanagan-Shipp.
“I would love to, but we’re still at a $40,000 deficit,” the mayor replied.
Weeks back, an initial vote proposing the Voter Approval Rate was unanimously rescinded following council concerns. Then, the No New Revenue rate was posted by mistake in mid-September.
“It got posted, that’s what we have to stick with,” Flanagan-Shipp said.
“So there’s no sense of a vote,” Blackmon replied.
“You still have to vote,” city secretary Judy Van Houten noted.
It’s unclear what part of state law and tax codes would limit the elected officials’ discretion to set the tax rate (up to the voter approval limit). Tuesday’s discussion left council members questioning the legality of the final record vote proposing the No Revenue Rate, approved 6-1 with Blackmon dissenting.
With the clock ticking, it’s likely a moot point – legal or not, Flanagan-Shipp noted Sept. 21, a majority of the council members don’t want to see any further increase in taxes.
Blackmon subsequently suggested council members meet again to reconsider the tax rate. His request Thursday evening (Sept. 17) was denied – per City Secretary Judy Van Houten, five of the seven elected officials declined the proposed sessions.