San Antonio City Council is set to vote on the 2018 budget later this month, but two north side council members are disrupting the process, and are demanding that ‘meaningful’ property tax reductions be included, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
“I believe this is the time for the City Council to provide real property tax relief for homeowners,” Councilman Greg Brockhouse said. “We need to focus on our core responsibilities and live within our means.”
Councilman Clayton Perry agrees. “Along the campaign trail, I heard from neighbors across all economic backgrounds who continually and desperately asked for real property tax relief,” Perry said. “It is time for San Antonio City Council to address the issue head on and work with all parties to find a solution.”
Brockhouse says if a reduction in the property tax rate is not possible, he would support a 5% homestead exemption. That would allow homeowner to avoid paying property tax on 5% of their home’s value.
“We have the chance to act now to help mitigate the effects of questionable property valuations that force homeowners into costly choices to keep paying their bills,” Brockhouse said.
City Council, like many governing boards, play a double game with taxpayers. Council bragged when the budget was unveiled earlier this year about the fact that for the 25th year, there was ‘no increase in the tax rate.’
That is true, but City Hall will reap a windfall due to the skyrocketing appraisals of both residential and commercial property. Property taxes are what are called ‘Ad Valorem,’ or ‘by value,’ which means taxpayers pay property tax based on the value of their property. If the value has increased by eight percent, that means an eight percent real increase in property taxes.
By referencing ‘questionably property valuations,’ Brockhouse is also tapping into a widespread belief that, because the boards of directors of appraisal districts are elected officials from the various councils and school boards which benefit from higher property values, appraisal districts have a vested interest in seeing property valuations increase and property owners appeals to be rejected.
Interestingly, one of the items on the agenda for today’s City Council meeting is the re-appointment of downtown Councilman Roberto Trevino to a two year term on the Board of Directors of the Bexar Appraisal District.