County Commissioners Take Step Toward Tax Increase

The County of El Paso took a big step toward a possible tax increase Monday.

Commissioners voted 3-to-2 to accept a proposed tax rate that could raise taxes for homeowners.

County Judge Anthony Cobos and Commissioner Dan Haggerty were the only ones to vote against a proposed tax hike. Commissioners Veronica Escobar, Ana Perez and Willy Gandara believe raising taxes should remain an option.

Here’s what was proposed, but could be adjusted to a lower rate prior to final approval next month:

The highest tax increase that the owner of an average home — about $122,000 — could pay next year is $3.44 more per month, or about $41 dollar more per year.

“If we did not have it as an option,” Escobar said, “then what that meant is we’re OK with catastrophic results in government in 2012.”

County Judge Anthony Cobos had this to say: “It’s obvious the majority of the court does feel we need a tax increase, however, in these strenuous economic times, I don’t think it’s the best thing for our community.”

But that appears to be where we are headed, unless the County can convince the El Paso County Sheriff’s Officers Association to take a lower amount than the up to eight percent raise that’s written into their contract with the County.

Several commissioners said today that the proposed tax increase is completely contingent on ongoing negotiations with the Sheriff’s Association.

“We’ve been here before and I’ve been in these situations where we’re hoping that the Sheriff’s department or collective bargaining groups will move in one direction or the other,” Haggerty said. “They were waiting for this day to happen … the negotiations are now over.”

The President of the Sheriff’s Officers Association, Jose Marrufo, said Gandara, who has been leading negotiations, is scheduled to make a proposal to officers on Wednesday. And Marrufo added that negotiations are still very much alive as both sides try and reach a compromise that would avoid a tax increase.