Jennifer Perry Middleton/Jefferson Jimplecute
During a special meeting Tuesday, the Jefferson City Council approved the 2021-22 proposed tax rate and budget.
Mayor Rob Baker proposed the city freeze the current rate at .45000 and not increase taxes.
Karen Jones, Marion County tax assessor-collector explained that the certified tax appraisal roll went up $573,000 for a total of $1.17 million in taxable value.
She added that the average taxpayer with a $100,000 home will have zero increase in city taxes unless their property value increased.
Baker said the city’s tax was significantly lower than that of surrounding areas, as Kilgore’s rate was .599, Henderson’s is .552 and Marshall is .542.
The proposed budget of $4,451,836 is more than the 2020-21 budget of $3,692,962 or the 2019-202 actual revenue budget of $4,396,836. The increase reflects a 3% raise in all departments, and additional $50,000 in grant matching funds and an additional officer and vehicle for the police department.
The budget is available for public view for two weeks, with a public hearing on the proposed tax rate and budget to be held at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 14.
The city’s Tourism Department and Friends of Jefferson Animals also presented their proposed 2021-22 budgets Tuesday to be included in the city’s budget.
The tourism budget is $210,000, compared to $137,000 for 2020-21. However, last year, there was a 53% increase in projected income and they expect a full return on the 2021-22 budget. They’ve also seen an increase in the number of lodgings available in town and have hired Anderson Marketing to help promote the city. Cities in the DFW Metroplex have been previously targeted and they plan to reach out to residents in the Houston area in the upcoming year.
The Friends of Jefferson Animals also proposed a budget of $40,000 during Tuesday’s meeting. This includes pens, adoption, transport of dogs and vetting of the dogs captured in Marion County. In the future, the group said they need a city/county officer who is trained in animal control and an agreement with the Marshall Animal Shelter for humane euthanasia of injured or aggressive dogs. In addition, FOJA would like to hold a series to town hall meetings to bring awareness of their services and also recruit additional volunteers to help with the animals.
In other business, the council chose to pay an invoice of approximately $22,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a 2007 project on Big Cypress Bayou. Mayor Baker said the project was done through an in-kind agreement between the city and the Corps for the city to either match the funds or provide materials and/or labor. He said he could not find records that it had been paid and that it was in the best interest of the city to go ahead and pay it.
A renewal permit application for the Ghost Walk Tour was also denied because it wasn’t signed, a certificate of insurance liability wasn’t supplied and neither was a state sales and use tax permit.
Council members also agreed to pay Graham Financial Services $875 for work pertaining to their acquiring a 501c(3) tax exemption for the Marion County Community Center. The non-profit status could take up to three months.
Discussion was also held on the previously-approved Kayak Football Food Truck event due to liability issues. The council took no action, but talked about how a certificate of insurance should be provided at least 10 days prior to the event and that a beer license should be obtained by the business providing it at the event.
Work is also currently being done on the inlet at Vale and Dallas streets through grant funds, but additional work to improve the intersection cannot be done with those funds. The council agreed that since the contractor is already at the location, to go ahead and pay to have it improved at this time to save tax dollars. Mayor Baker said the price is not to exceed $15,000 and that it will address the liability and safety problem.