Crockett Council To Hold Tax Hearing Monday

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT — Crockett City Council will hold a public hearing Monday on the city’s proposed property-tax rate before considering final action on the next city budget.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 in the City Hall Council Chambers at 200 North Fifth Street.

The proposed tax rate is 76.68 cents for every $100 of taxable property value. If approved, the rate would be used to fund city operations and pay the city’s debt during the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The number may sound small, but the tax rate is only one part of a property-tax bill. The final amount a homeowner pays also depends on the taxable value assigned to the property.

For example, the city’s tax comparison lists the current average-valued homestead at $99,449. At the current tax rate of 68.08 cents per $100, the estimated city tax bill is $677.05.

The upcoming average-valued homestead is listed at $106,122. At the proposed rate of 76.68 cents, the estimated city tax bill would be $813.74.

That is not a direct comparison of the same house, since the property values in the two examples are different. The comparison does, however, show how both rising property values and a higher tax rate can affect the amount paid by homeowners.

The city also lists what the bill would look like under the “no-new-revenue” rate of 67.55 cents. That rate would produce an estimated bill of $716.85 on the $106,122 property value.

In simple terms, the no-new-revenue rate is intended to bring in roughly the same amount of property-tax money from existing property as the city collected the previous year. The proposed rate would bring in additional revenue to support the city’s planned budget.

The difference between the estimated bill at the proposed rate and the no-new-revenue rate is approximately $96.89 for the example property.

The formal tax notice also states that the proposed rate would raise more money for maintenance and operations than last year’s rate. It describes the increase as 12.63% and estimates that the maintenance-and-operations portion of the tax bill would increase by approximately $98.70 on a home valued at $100,000.

The proposed rate is lower than the 77.61-cent rate the council approved Aug. 3 to begin the tax-rate posting and public-hearing process. Monday’s hearing and the vote that follows will determine whether the current proposal moves forward. The rate remains subject to change until it is formally adopted.

The council will first hold a public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 city budget. The budget would cover the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30, 2027.

During earlier budget discussions, city officials considered a 10% fixed-dollar cost-of-living adjustment for most city employees. The proposal was estimated to cost approximately $448,000 annually and was presented as an effort to help employees catch up with inflation.

After the budget hearing, council members are scheduled to consider the ordinance adopting the budget and appropriations for the new fiscal year. They also will consider ordinances levying the city’s property taxes and adopting the 2026 tax roll.

The meeting also includes proposed changes to water, sewer and garbage charges.

Under the proposed water and sewer schedule, the residential water base rate would be $26.20 per month, plus 63 cents for every 100 gallons used. The residential sewer base rate would be $26.35 per month, plus 33 cents for every 100 gallons. A $3.80 monthly sewer meter fee also is included.

The amount of a customer’s water and sewer bill would continue to depend partly on usage. Previous council discussions described the combined residential water and sewer increase as approximately $3.11 per month.

The proposed garbage schedule would set the residential rate for a 95-gallon cart collected once a week at $23.35 per home or unit per month. An additional cart would cost $6.23 per month, and vegetative debris collection would cost $29 per yard. The proposed rates would take effect Oct. 1.

Council members also will hear proposed charter-amendment propositions from the Charter Commission and discuss possible dates for council workshops.

The council is scheduled to consider moving its first regular September meeting to Tuesday, Sept. 8, because of the Labor Day holiday.

Residents may speak during the general public-comment period, which is limited to three minutes and must concern city-related matters. The budget and tax-rate items also are listed as separate public hearings later in the meeting.

Monday’s meeting will be an important step in determining how much Crockett residents pay in city property taxes and utility charges during the coming fiscal year. Final figures will depend on the actions taken by the council.

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]