San Benito holds second public hearing on proposed tax rate and gives first reading of 2025–26 budget

The San Benito City Commission held a second public hearing Aug. 19 on the city's proposed tax rate and gave first readings on the tax-rate and annual budget ordinances, city officials said. No final vote to adopt a tax rate or the budget occurred; staff presented figures and commissioners asked questions before a later decision.

Finance Director Stephanie (identified in the hearing as "Stephanie") opened the presentation and responded to commissioner questions about the city's interest-and-sinking (I&S) rate and projected property-tax revenue. During the hearing Stephanie said the current I&S rate this year is "0.039202" (as stated at the hearing) and that the city had reduced a prior I&S component that had been around "6'cent" to about "3'cent" (comments during public discussion). Stephanie also told the commission, "So the total property taxes budgeted for last year was 7.5, and this year it's 8.6," and staff described that difference as "an extra 1.1" (figures presented at the hearing; units not specified in the…