Public Infrastructure subcommittee asks council to put 5% property-tax charter amendment for street paving on ballot

The Public Infrastructure Subcommittee voted to ask the City of Laredo to place a charter revision amendment on the next charter election ballot to dedicate 5% of all property taxes collected to street paving.

The motion, made during the committee's Jan. 14 meeting, followed an earlier request to add $30 million to this year's bond referendum; the subcommittee did not approve the $30 million addition and submitted a separate recommendation to pursue the charter amendment. The motion to ask the council to place the charter revision passed without opposition by members present.

Committee members said the charter amendment would create a recurring funding stream dedicated to paving and make that allocation permanent unless future voters amend the charter. The motion was presented by the public infrastructure chair and was followed by brief legal review from the city attorney's office, which advised that a recommendation to seek a charter amendment was appropriate for subcommittee consideration.

The committee did not specify proposed ballot language, a sunset date or implementation mechanics for collecting and directing the 5% of property-tax revenue; those details were left to city staff and city council as the item moves forward. Committee members also noted separately that engineering staff are preparing estimates of pavement needs, work that will inform any specific dollar amount or schedule the council may later consider.

The subcommittee's request will be forwarded to city council for placement on a future charter election ballot; city council retains authority to finalize ballot language, timing and implementation details.