City of El Paso pursuing effective tax rate, average $27 more per household

City of El Paso budget talks are wrapping up, and ABC-7 is getting a clearer picture of how much your property taxes are going up.

It’s looking like $27 more for fiscal year 2015 in property taxes the average homeowner in El Paso will pay. At least, that’s how it’s looking now, two weeks before council adopts the budget and tax rate.

The hikes are imminent.

“We need to either increase the El Paso Water Utility franchise fee or the El Paso Electric franchise fee to balance this budget,” District 8 Rep. Courtney Niland said.

El Paso’s Chief Budget Officer Lynly Leeper said the proposed property effective tax rate is technically not a tax increase, because it’s necessary for the city to bring in the same level of revenue next year. City Rep. Lily Limon disagreed.

“If i have to pay more, it’s an increase. Bottom line. It may be called something differently, but if I’m paying more, then it’s an increase. We really should be calling it that,” Limon said.

Constituents who spoke before council members seemed to be more concerned with their monthly utility bills going up than property taxes.

“Year to year, everything is going up. You want to add another one percent to the electric. That’s money out of my pocket,” Lisa Turner said.

A dollar breakout presented shows where every tax dollar goes:

48 cents on the dollar goes to your school district,
24 cents goes to the city, 16 cents to El Paso County,
7 cents per dollar goes to University Medical Center,
and five cents goes to El Paso Community College.

Leeper told ABC-7 homeowners have to pay a little more because there was a dip in commercial and industrial property values. If you want a chance to have your voice heard about the proposed tax rate, there’s one more chance at 8 a.m. Aug. 12 in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 300 N. Campbell.

Council is expected to adopt the fiscal year 2015 tax rate and budget Aug. 19.