Video: Houston Property Tax Rate Going Up

[syndicaster id=’5335839′]

HOUSTON, Miss. (WCBI) — Small towns face the problem all the time…declining property values versus the demand for services. For the first time in 10 years, Houston city leaders are having to bite the bullet and raise taxes.

The value of property in Houston is going down. That means current property taxes bring in less money. But the cost of everything is going up.

“We haven’t gone up on taxes to directly benefit any kind of, offset any other increases since 2003-04 year,” said Mayor Stacy Parker.

Although taxes for city schools have gone up slightly in the last decade, it’s been 10 years for the city’s operating budgets. City leaders say they just couldn’t continue to cut spending without hurting basic services to city residents. The result is a 6.11 mill increase in property taxes this fall.

“There are businesses that go up on their commodities or whatever we are trying to purchase to make things work better for the city. For instance, a water meter, it may have cost $20 10 years ago, well guess where it’s at today, maybe $40,” said Parker.

Some of the lower property values have come from the city trying to clean up rundown and dangerous properties. Those efforts whittle away at revenue but hopefully will pay bigger dividends as more people invest in the city in the future.

“But there was still of a piece of a value that is assessed by having a physical structure on there. But when we make them get rid of it, you loose that little small portion. Every little bit counts,” Parker explained of how today’s revitalization efforts are hitting the city’s pocketbook in the short run.

Even with the higher tax rate, some property owners might not see a bigger tax bill. If the value of their property has gone down, that offsets the tax increase.

Property tax bills with the higher rate will go out in November or December.

Categories: Local News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *