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Galveston council deadlocks twice on proposed 0.4302 tax rate after hours of public comment
Summary
The Galveston City Council failed to approve a proposed 0.4302 tax rate after two separate motions (one to adopt the higher rate and a second to adopt a "no new revenue" rate) failed in votes split along differing views on reserves, personnel pay and storm preparedness.
Mayor Craig Brown opened a public hearing Sept. 18 on a proposed tax rate the finance director said would be 0.4302 per $100 of taxable value for tax year 2025.
Sheila Ladonye, the citys finance director, told the council the rate under consideration supports the budget adopted Aug. 28 and is composed of a debt service rate of 0.039755 and a maintenance and operations rate of 0.390445. Because the rate exceeds the "no new revenue" rate, Ladonye reminded council the tax code requires a 60% vote (five of seven council members) to adopt it.
The council heard more than a dozen public commenters during the hearing. Becca Scoville, a San Jacinto neighborhood resident, urged the council to fund the budget to sustain city services: "Reliable city services are much more important to our…
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