Council adopts certified appraisal roll, schedules tax-rate and budget public hearings; proposes slightly lower rate

The Breckenridge City Council voted to accept the 2025 certified appraisal roll and scheduled public hearings on the proposed tax rate and the fiscal year 2025-26 budget. On a resolution, the council accepted the certified appraisal roll (resolution 2025-22). The council also approved scheduling a public hearing on the proposed tax rate for Aug. 26, 2025; the roll-call recorded at the meeting shows Mayor Sims and Commissioner Fernandez voting "Aye." The council set a public hearing on the proposed FY2025-26 budget for Sept. 2, 2025. City staff presented the tax-rate context and proposed rate. Staff said the current rate is 1.04471; the proposed rate of 1.02893 represents about a one-and-a-half-cent reduction from the current rate but remains above the no-new-revenue rate (1.00219) and below the voter-approval rate (1.05906). City Manager Cynthia explained that although the proposed rate is technically above the no-new-revenue rate — which under state law can make it an "increase" for statutory purposes — the average homeowner would see a modest decrease in city taxes (staff calculated an example $14 annual decrease on a representative property). On budgeting for employees, staff proposed increasing base pay by 4% (the budget presented included funding for a 4% increase) and fully funding the previously approved certification pay policy at 100%, which staff said had been funded at 75% in prior years. Cynthia said benefits and insurance increases contribute to the total personnel cost and that staff are pursuing training, safety, and retention investments. Staff framed the proposed budget around five priorities: invest in infrastructure, invest in employees, beautification, economic development and tourism, and transparency/communication. Staff also highlighted capital projects including ongoing TWDB projects and a pending CDBG project (Panther Street), and the continued vehicle replacement and maintenance programs. No final tax-rate or budget adoption occurred at the meeting; council set the public hearing dates required by statute. The council did not vote on a final tax rate or adopt the budget; both items will return after the public hearings.