Mayor John Whitmire’s administration has been floating an increase to Houston’s property tax rate, both as a way to assist in paying for its landmark $1.5 billion settlement with the firefighters union and as a means to help stabilize the city’s budget. Source
Whitmire claims that we will do it “Together.”
Where were they together when he and he alone decided to settle with the firefighters? When he decided to give them over 600 million in back pay and another 1 billion in pay increases, where was the “Together?” He told us that he couldn’t tell us what happened because he agreed to keep the negotiations secret. Trust me, he says. I don’t trust him, and neither should anyone with an ounce of sense. He has not proven that he can be trusted.
Why isn’t he leading by reducing the mayor’s office by a minimum of five percent? He should cut it by ten percent to show people that he intends to cut expenses. Many of the top earners in the mayor’s office are political appointees, hint they are there not for the skills required.
Where are the audits of all the departments? That means fire and police, too. I can’t believe that those departments don’t have places where money could be saved.
Below is another quote from the same article as the previous quote:
And if the mayor’s suggested $15 increase were applied to the average Houston home – valued at about $255,000 in 2023 – that would mean a tax rate of about 60 cents. That figure would amount to a hike of about 9 cents, or 17%, above the current tax rate.
If you own a house appraised at $244,00, your tax bill is $3,072.47. If your taxes go by 17%, the taxes would go up to $3594.24. That is a $500 dollar increase. That is what a house paid in 2023 with a homestead exemption. That is a 17% increase. If the tax rate is 60 cents per thousand (9 cents increase), that would be an increase of $147 per year. I will assume that the $147 is correct, but that amount is only for the first year every time the appraised value goes up the amount of increase goes up.