Reprint from the Progress Times - September 14, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Mission holds second public hearing on tax increase

The City of Mission held the second of two public hearings on the Ad Valorem Tax Increase at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Mission City Council September 10.

The city has proposed to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 9.03 percent. Taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of Mission residents’ property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.

The adopted tax rate for the preceding tax year was $0.5566 per $100. The proposed tax rate for the current tax year is the same.

There were no comments from the public.

The vote on the tax rate is scheduled for Friday, September 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the Mission City Hall Council Chambers.

The council also approved of a resolution adopting a comprehensive policy of guidelines and criteria for governing tax abatement incentives within the City of Mission.

Abatement incentives will be granted as long as a business or proposed development or redevelopment creates at least 20 or more jobs and generates at least a $500,000 payroll or generate a capital investment of at least $1 million.

Incentives will also be granted if a development or redevelopment does not include property that is owned or leased by a member of the City Council of Mission nor by a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The resolution also attempts to classify businesses who qualify for the abatement as basic manufacturing industries, regional offices, scientific and industrial research facilities, process and storage industries or any enterprise that promotes local economic development and stimulates business and commercial activity in the municipality. This also includes facilities built for use by public or private higher educational institutions.

The council also approved of a resolution adopting the Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Interoperability Communication System. This system will allow for better interagency communication, radio interoperability and cooperation among the different counties and their respective emergency responders.

The objective of the system is to provide decision makers from different agencies a real-time means of direct voice communications. This will enhance the efficiency of a multi-agency response, it will save lives quickly disseminating critical information to participating emergency responder agencies at the scene of a significant incident anywhere in the entire region.

To further assist the city’s emergency responders, the council also gave authorization to the Mission Fire Department to purchase a 2007 or 2008 pumper fire truck which will replace the current fire truck in the fleet.

The budgeted amount for the truck is $375,000. The fire department was also given authorization to purchased eight pick up trucks or SUVs which will be purchased with funds from the new bond insurance which will reimburse the general fund for the purchase. The budgeted amount for the vehicles, which will replace older vehicles in the fleet, is $229,000.

The police department was also addressed at the meeting. They were granted authorization to accept the 2008 Comprehensive Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDot).

The STEP program is designed to provide grant money to increase seat belt enforcement, speed enforcement and DWI enforcement throughout the community. The grant amount of $48,556 will be used for enforcement purposes.

The council also approved of an ordinance authorizing the issuance, sale and delivery of City of Mission, Texas Combination Tax and Limited Pledge Revenue Certificates of Obligation. These bonds will be payable from the levy of a direct and continuing annual ad valorem tax.

This bond will be used to fund land acquisition and park improvements including Bentsen Palm Park, Northwest Park and Birdwell Park as well as to acquire vehicles and equipment including a fire truck, street sweepers and radio infrastructure. The money will also be used for street and bridge improvement including work on Mile 2 Road and Stewart Road.

Dusty Traylor of RBC Capital Markets, who addressed the council, said the issuance of the bonds came at the perfect time.

"I can’t tell you, as a bond guy, how excited this makes me," said Traylor, addressing the council. "We’ve had an up and down month in interest rates and it looked like rates were going to climb but last week disappointing job numbers came out and that is good news in the bond market. It drives interest rates lower. It’s a very good time for you to be in the bond market."

The issuance of the Certificates of Obligation is not to exceed $7 million.