El Paso City Manager Proposes Property Tax Hike

Summertime means planning time for El Paso’s City Budget. And like last year, city leaders say they need more money.

City Manager Joyce Wilson unveiled her proposed city budget for fiscal year 2011.

There are several options on the table including a property tax increase.

If approved by the city council, the budget would boost El Paso’s general fund from just under $312 million to over $318 million.

The general fund and ‘all funds’ proposals include $2.3 million more for El Paso’s airport, $1.1 million for the Parks & Recreation department, $3.4 million for the fire department and $2.3 million for the police department.

Those last two are biggies, she says.

“The cost of public safety increase is probably close to $12 million overall,” Wilson told ABC-7. “The general fund is only growing by less than $6 million, so we took a lot of cuts everywhere else.”

Those cuts includes trimming $1.7 million from Sun Metro and another one million dollars from the international bridges which have seen their revenues take a dive.

Wilson would also cut about $53,000 from her own office.

The extra city revenue would come from several places.

Wilson proposes increasing environmental services fees from $1.50 to $2.50 for residential customers.

Ambulance rides would also jump from $550 to $650.

Then, there’s the proposed property tax increase.

Wilson suggests the city move the tax rate from 0.633 cents for every $100 of home valuation to 0.66 cents.

That would translate into an extra $33 a year for someone with a home valued at $100,000.

The city manager says a growing tax base will also bring in additional money.

City budget hearings begin next week.

El Paso City Council usually votes on a final budget in August.