SAN ANTONIO, Tx — A disaster declaration loophole is allowing the city of Kerrville to raise property taxes. Kerrville city officials unanimously voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution directing the city tax assessor to calculate the disaster rate property tax increase that could help pay for flood damage. But the city stresses that no tax increases have been decided.
In Tuesday’s City Council meeting Kerrville’s mayor Joe Herring Jr. said they are trying to get information from the tax assessor to get possible scenarios.
The disaster declaration allows the tax assessor to calculate property taxes up to 8 percent about the no new revenue rate.
City officials said it’s too early to estimate the total cost of damages, but they want to be prepared.
George Baroody a former city council member, says this is not a discussion that should be happening in the time of disaster.
“Clearly making the decision they made last night is a sign that they intend to raise the cap,” Baroody said.
Baroody says everyone in Kerrville has been affected by the flood in some way and that calculating a potential property tax increase is insensitive.
“You have reserved funding in your government that’s way more than what you lost,” Baroody said. “You could just pull it out of there instead. I saw someone’s protest sign that said beating us while we’re down, kicking us while we’re down. It just strikes. That’s what’s happening.
If a property tax increase were to take place in the future city officials said there is an exemption for those who had their property damaged by the disaster. Click her for the form.