Houston Council Votes Unanimously to Keep Property Tax Rate Flat at 51.919 Cents Despite $88 Million Projected Gap
Houston — Houston is a city in Harris County, Texas. The Houston City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday, October 14, to keep the city's property tax rate unchanged at $0.51919 per $100 of taxable value (51.919 cents), the same rate as last year, at City Hall, 901 Bagby Street. According to FOX 26 Houston and Community Impact, a property with a taxable value of $340,000 would owe about $1,765.25 a year in city property taxes under the adopted rate.
Finance Director Melissa Dubowski told the council that expected property tax revenue is roughly $63 million below the amount budgeted, citing slower growth in taxable property values, lower collection rates and reduced assessed values after property owners protested their appraisals; successful protests can also trigger refunds for owners who already paid. She said the estimates could still change as collections and valuation adjustments continue.
Mayor John Whitmire said a projected shortfall first estimated at about $209 million had been cut to about $25 million before revised revenue estimates pushed it back up to roughly $88 million. He argued the city should demonstrate it has done everything possible with existing resources before raising taxes, pointing to residents' concerns about the cost of gas, rent and food, and said operational improvements, collaboration with other governments and additional funding sources would be used to address the gap.
To manage the gap, the city has shifted solid waste services to Houston Public Works and introduced a $5 monthly garbage fee. The average residence homestead's taxable value rose from $341,336 to $348,808, lifting the average tax bill from $1,772.18 to $1,810.97, while the total levy on all properties is expected to rise 0.53 percent, from about $1.432 billion to about $1.440 billion. The city adopted its annual budget in June and the fiscal year began in July; further cost-saving steps under discussion include consolidating library and park systems with Harris County and reducing the municipal workforce.
(Sources: FOX 26 Houston and Community Impact reporting on the October 14 Houston City Council tax-rate vote)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：休斯顿市中心天际线（资料图）。
