SAN ANTONIO, Tx \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
In Tuesday\u2019s City Council meeting Kerrville\u2019s mayor Joe Herring Jr. said they are trying to get information from the tax assessor to get possible scenarios.<\/p>\n
The disaster declaration allows the tax assessor to calculate property taxes up to 8 percent about the no new revenue rate.<\/p>\n
City officials said it\u2019s too early to estimate the total cost of damages, but they want to be prepared.<\/p>\n
George Baroody a former city council member, says this is not a discussion that should be happening in the time of disaster.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly making the decision they made last night is a sign that they intend to raise the cap,\u201d Baroody said.<\/p>\n
Baroody says everyone in Kerrville has been affected by the flood in some way and that calculating a potential property tax increase is insensitive.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have reserved funding in your government that\u2019s way more than what you lost,\u201d Baroody said. \u201cYou could just pull it out of there instead. I saw someone\u2019s protest sign that said beating us while we\u2019re down, kicking us while we\u2019re down. It just strikes. That\u2019s what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n