ccswks 09-11-1990
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SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 11, 1990
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Session, Tuesday,
September 11, 1990 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the
Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas. The
following members were present: Mayor Earl W. Sawyer, presiding;
Joe Potempa; Hal Baldwin, Barbara Stanhope; Mary Marsh and Ken
Greenwald. Staff present were City Manager Kerry R. Sweatt and
City Secretary June G. Krause.
Prior to opening the meeting, Mayor Sawyer led the group in the
Pledge of Allegiance.
#1 PUBLIC HEARING: The Council to receive citizen comments
on the proposed Tax Rate for 1990.
Mr. Sweatt said Council had held a number of workshops on the
budget and recommended revenues and expenditures. As a result of
the Guadalupe County Appraisal District values, we are now
reporting a total estimated value of $272,171,741. Based on that
val ue, which is about $15,000,000 lower than that used for the
budget calculations for 1989-90, the effective tax rate would
calculate at 34.13 cents the roll-back rate would be 37.59
cents. Based on those values and recommended budget, we are
recommending a tax rate of 36.89 cents per one hundred dollar
value based on the $272,171,741 assessed value at 95% collection
ratio. The tax rate is 5.06 cents per one hundred val ue above
that of the 1989-90 rate. This includes the 1.5 cent addition,
which was estimated for debt service for 1990 Certificates of
Obligation. Overall the tax rate includes both debt service and
operation. The notices have been published in accordance with the
Uniform Truth in Taxation law.
Mayor Sawyer then called for any citizen comments.
A. Bobbie Vonada, 121 Henry Ford in Schertz. She first wanted
to commend Mr. Sweatt for the City budget, saying she knew he had
worked hard on it and the way it is established is very easy to
understand. She said she had attended regular meetings and
workshops and heard ideas about improvements and wants of the
Council Members, yet to her knowledge there had been no
suggestion as to how they could acquire funding for these items
other than another tax increase. She said that she is
unequivocal I y opposed to tax increases year after year. She
said there had been a tax increase for the last three years. She
said the one cent of this increase that was for the Police
Department was fine with her. She asked if the Council ever
considered the income of the elderly, the retired and lower
income families. She asked if the Council had considered the
fact that in the last two years almost every necessary service
had been increased and now they are going to increase water fees,
which is something everyone has to use. Mrs. Vonada said she
felt they should create user fees some place, such as parks and
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1 ibrar ies. She said instead of taxes, she would rather see
traffic fines increased and the fines for animal control. She
mentioned the write-off for SAFES, saying that every time this is
done the citizens have to pay more. She ended by saying that
when her household budget goes up, she does not get any more
money for it. She said she has to make adjustments and the
Council should do the same thing. She said she felt the public
hearings on the budget was an effort in futility because.
according to the newspapers Council had by this time already
decided to pass this budget. She asked how many Council Members
had contacted their constituents regarding the budget. She ended
by saying that she did not think she was the onl y person in
Schertz who was concerned about taxes going up three years in a
row.
B. Mr. Bethae asked what the tax increase would be for a
$100,000 home.
Mr. Sweatt said that assuming the value stayed the same, it would
be about $50 a year, based on the five cents for each $100 value.
Mayor Sawyer thanked Mrs. vonada for her comments and added that
although Council did not asked her for her opinion, she was at
all the budget meetings and any citizen is allowed to speak any
time they wish. He added that he felt the budget had been looked
at pretty thoroughly by the Council and they are doing what the
ci tizens want. The citizens seem to want more pol ice so thi s
budget allows for the hiring of one more this year and perhaps
can add another next year. He said Council has had more
complaints about not seeing officers in residential areas than
any other subject.
Mrs. Marsh wished to answer some of Mrs. Vonada I s comments. In
talking about user fees, Mrs. Marsh said the City has these
fees - those who use the pool, the park I the I ibrary all have
user fees. She then referred to Mrs. Vonada I s statement about
making adjustments to the budget, saying that adjustments are
made continuall y on many, many different level s. She said the
first adjustments come from the departments when they sit down to
work out their budget. She said if a person would go around to
the departments, as Council did prior to the meetings, they would
definitely see many things that are needed but cannot be
afforded. Then the budget goes to Mr. Sweatt because that is his
job - to prepare the budget for the City. He again looks at all
departments and discusses the budget with all departments and
once again the budget is adjusted - and it is never adjusted up,
but down, because there is onl y so much revenue coming in. She
added that when the budget goes to Council for their review, it
is highly scrutinized. The Council is constantly looking at ways
to make adjustments. Also the City has a mid-year review of the
budget and adjustments are made. She said a lot of things are
delayed until the last minute in case some type of catastrophe
might happen where there would be a need for funds. She said
there is a constant series of adjustments that do go on with the
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budget. She said we have a bare-bone budget because so much has
been cut from departments for things they really need but cannot
afford at this time - everything is prioritized. She agreed with
Mrs. Vonada, saying it would be very desirable if the citizens
would come to the meetings and get involved as Mrs. Vonada is
doing but they won't do it.
As there were no further citizens wishing to comment, Mayor
Sawyer declared the public hearing closed.
#2 ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Potempa moveg the meeting be adjourned
at 7:20 p.m. with Mrs. Stanhope seconding the motion, which
carried with a unanimous vote.
ATTEST:
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