Gonzales to hold two public hearings

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Gonzales City Council will hold its second of two public hearings on the proposed tax rate, as well as, a hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2019-20 Thursday, Sept. 5.

Council proposed adopting the rollback tax rate of $0.3380 per $100 of valuation at the Aug. 8 meeting. The rollback rate is the highest a city can set its tax rate to without being subject to a petitioned recall election, like the city experienced in March.

The proposed budget was filed for public inspection on Aug. 9 and subsequently workshopped on Aug. 13. The proposed budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by 20.66 percent and of that amount $10,032 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.

If adopted, the rate would increase total revenues from tax roll properties by 19.99 percent from the previous fiscal year. The total tax levy with the proposed rate would amount to $1,393,686, a $238,616 increase over this fiscal year’s tax levy of $1,155,070.

The average taxable value of a residence homestead in Gonzales last year was $115,528. If the council adopts the proposed rate, the average home would pay $397.56 in taxes to the city this upcoming year.

Another budget workshop was placed on the Sept. 5 agenda to address any concerns brought forward during public hearing. Tentatively, council plans to adopt the proposed budget at the Sept. 12 meeting.

No speakers appeared for the first tax rate public hearing Aug. 27. The next meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Gonzales Municipal Building, 820 St Joseph St Gonzales, TX 78629.

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