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San Antonio is in the middle of a budgeting cycle, and like many major cities across the state, it is facing a major spending deficit. Unless taxes are raised or spending is cut, San Antonio will be short about $131 million.
According to reporting from the San Antonio Express-News, a rate increase from 54 cents per $100 of assessed value up to 58 cents has been proposed. Officials say it will cost the median homeowner an extra $70 a year.
Councilman Marc Whyte, who represents District 10, is pushing instead for spending cuts. “Rather than make the tough choices and do the work, it seems my colleagues think the answer is just raising the property tax rate,” he said.
He went on to say that there’s plenty of room in the San Antonio budget to cut, pointing out things like public Zumba classes that cost over $100,000 but no one actually attended. According to him, cutting programs like that would be far more effective than simply raising taxes.
“Even with a property tax increase, we’re still looking at a deficit of over $100 million five years from now,” he said. That would mean City Council would, in just a few more years, have to decide again whether or not to jack up the tax rate, which could push residents out of the city and actually do more damage to city revenue.