The Snyder City Council approved a proposed tax rate of 47 cents per $100 valuation, a drop from the current 48 cents. However, since taxable values within the city rose last year, it is possible many taxpayers will pay higher taxes.
That rate, proposed at the council’s meeting Monday, will generate $127,570 in additional revenue for the city which had resulted in a balanced budget. The no new revenue rate is 45.02 cents and the rollback election rate is 47.07 cents per $100 valuation. Citing concerns about appearing to defund the police department, the council asked the city staff to add back nearly $150,000 to the budget for two police officer positions that Chief Brian Haggard said had been open for the last 18 months.
“I’m not okay with the positions being canceled,” city council member Sarah Jamison said.
The council also requested that a $260,000 replacement fire truck be moved back into the budget. That will result in a deficit in the general fund budget, which will have to be balanced by drawing $409,730 from the city’s reserve funds. The city will hold a public hearing on the tax rate and the first reading on the budget, utility ordinance and taxes at 5:30 p.m. Monday. A second reading on the tax rate will be held August 17 at 5:30 p.m. A public hearing on the budget and the second readings of the budget and utility ordinance are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on August 24.