Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 5
Number 5, the final public hearing, to receive comments regarding the Travis County tax rate for the fiscal year 2012 county budget.
>> leroy, planning budget office.
with me is jessica rio.
the planning and budget office did file a preliminary budget latter part of July, and that preliminary budget was based upon the guidelines the court approved on February 22nd for the planning and budget office to observe in filing that preliminary budget.
those guidelines authorized the planning and budget office to propose a tax rate that was within 3% of the effective tax rate, the actual preliminary budget.
>> move the public hearing be open.
all in favor.
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> okay.
>> sorry, mr. Nellis.
>> that's fine.
the preliminary budget was filed within 2.99% tax rate above the effective tax rate, and the notice of public hearings on tle tax increase have been posted in the Austin american statesman and the chronicle.
that tax rate, the proposed tax rate is .4855, and those public ads have indicated what the tax amount would be on the average homestead in Travis County and for fy12, that taxable homestead value is 215,829 and there's the tax ads indicate that that would produce a Travis County tax bill on that average homestead of $1,047.85.
when you take into consideration these ads require that the tax assessors office does the calculations, and the tcad does the certified average homestead taxable value, that they take into consideration the 10% cap on the homestead increase, and it also excludes taking into consideration the exemptions for handicapped, over 65.
so when you take a look at the ad, you will see that the advertised tax increase on the average homestead actually comes down from what we had actually produced in the preliminary budget to $33.28 increase.
I might say that that preliminary budget is structurally sound, ie that we have -- we have balanced on going revenue against on going expenses and only used one time revenue for one time expenses.
and we have gone through markup and we will continue it this afternoon, but we are here to answer any questions of the public hearing on the tax rate of 48.55.
>> court members, are there any comments, questions?
would anyone like to give testimony during this public hearing?
if so, please come forward.
this is a public hearing on the tax rate of .4855.
yes, sir, if you would give us your name, we would be happy to get your comments.
>> I'm the president of the Austin league of women voters, and my testimony is about maintaining the current health budget.
the Austin league is a nonpartisan all volunteer political organization that informs -- that encourages informed political discussion, and we have studied the need for a taxing health care district and support the maintenance of the current level of services.
we believe the community clinics provide m.v.p.-needed primary health care that keep minor problems from becoming emergency room visits.
this investment returns huge dividends in savings for care that would have to be paid for by health insurance rate payers.
the cuts inflicted by a state legislature were fiscally unnecessary.
premiums will increase as people postpone early treatment out of financial necessity and ultimately require hospitalization.
the Austin league urges the Travis County Commissioner's court to pass a budget that protects the health of individuals in a community by continuing full funding for cancer screening, treatment for sexually explicit diseases.
no one discusses the public investments, all of which maintain a basic quality of life, and health care is no less important to quality of life than these.
thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Schneider.
I think that our long public hearing on item number 3 probably threw you off a little bit.
>> oh.
>> your comments really are more appropriate for items 21 and 22 regarding the health care district tax rate and budget.
>> thank you.
>> so we have good recollections here.
>> ...
on the average taxable homestead.
so the amount of increase had the tax is based upon that calculation.
and what that value is for next year is $215,829, which is certified now.
in previous hearings I've indicated that we've given some geographic information.
in other words, the del valle school district, the north -- the southeast sector of Travis County has much lower property values and your value may be somewhere in between the average homestead.
so the easiest way to get it is to look at what your appraised value is and then your tax statement that will be coming out shortly will show you the taxable value, divide that by 100 and multiply by 4.855 and that will give you your anticipated tax bill.
>> I might have been confused.
I thought the figure -- in other words, that number you were quoting, that's the increase.
that's the number for the increase in taxes.
>> that's correct.
>> and not the total or anything near the total or anything.
>> that's the increase.
>> okay, well, thanks.
>> but the $1,047 is not the amount of the increase.
that would be the total tax bill.
>> right, the 1047, but the $33.28 I think he was referring to is the annual increase.
>> I'm sorry.
I was referring to that.
>> well, the 1047.85 is the tax bill on the average home -- taxable homestead at the proposed tax rate.
>> the bill from Travis County.
>> from Travis County.
and then you will receive on your tax bill, if you are in the city limits, the city of Austin, Austin independent school district and any other -- acc, hospital district.
>> oh, sure, sure.
but I'm being lied to is what it's coming around.
thanks so much.
>> anybody else, public hearing on item number 5.
move the public hearing be closed.
>> second.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> just to remind the court there is a second public hearing this Friday at 9:00.
this this courtroom.
>> thank you very much.
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