The Breckenridge Texas City Commission convened on July 11, 2023, to address several key issues impacting the community, including utility costs and the preliminary budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The meeting began with a discussion regarding an application from Encore regarding amendments to their distribution cost recovery factor. City officials expressed concerns that the proposed changes would lead to increased costs for consumers. A motion was made to deny the application, emphasizing the city's opposition to the price hikes on behalf of its constituents. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

Following this, the commission moved on to workshop items, focusing on the draft budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year based on preliminary property values. Staff presented an overview of the budget process, noting that the figures currently used are based on last year's data due to pending final numbers from the appraisal district, expected by July 25. The discussion highlighted the historical trends in property values within Breckenridge, noting a stagnation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city manager addressed the impact of Senate Bill 2, which aimed to enhance transparency in the taxing process but has led to confusion regarding terms like effective rate and rollback rate. The commission reviewed a ten-year history of property tax trends, with the current budget based on a tax rate of 1.02 and a proposed rate of 1.05. The city manager expressed hope that the final appraisal numbers would be higher than the conservative estimates currently in use, allowing for potential adjustments to the budget.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the city's commitment to managing utility costs for residents while preparing for the upcoming fiscal year with a focus on accurate property valuations and budgetary adjustments. The commission plans to reconvene once final appraisal numbers are available to finalize the budget.