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MoCity Budget: No Raise In Taxes, But City Services Could Be Affected
Mon, Jun 7, 2010News
Missouri City’s proposed 2011 budget guarantees residents that the city will not raise the current $.5284 tax rate, but City Manager Frank Simpson has warned council that the five percent reduction in city staff does have the potential to decrease the efficiency and effectiveness of city services.
The reduction is the result of the hiring freeze in 2009, implemented due to the current economic climate. Sixteen vacant positions have been left unfilled, with a savings of more than $1.2 million.
“City Staff will continue to do everything it can to avoid any drops in levels of services to residents and businesses,” said Simpson.
The police department is exempt from the freeze. Council decided earlier this year to drop a proposed homestead exemption from the May election ballot in order to provide $514,226 in the 2011 budget to hire seven additional police officers...
MCC comment: What they don't mention about the homeowners exemption is the fact that it was a hot topic in the 2007, '08 & '09 elections and the city purchased, in a land deal for about $600,000 from a Houston developer who appears on many of the council members, including the mayors, campaign finance reports bottom land at full market value, nor do they mention the large borrowing from the cities "contingency" funds to give off the appearance of a balanced budget each year. These funds come from "slipped" bond projects (re-purposed bond monies).
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Source: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/06/07/46074 |
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