Longview City Council adopts 2025 tax rate, council votes to levy 56.19¢ per $100

The Longview City Council on Aug. 22 voted to adopt a 2025 property tax rate of 56.19¢ per $100 valuation, the council announced at a special called meeting.

Miss Angela Cohen, Longview’s director of finance, presented the levy, saying: "The tax rate will be set at 14.90¢ for debt service, 41.29¢ for operations and maintenance, totaling 56.19¢." She told the council the rate is "the same as the prior year tax rate," but that it is higher than the "no new revenue rate" of 52.95¢ and "will effectively increase property tax revenues by 6.11%." Cohen also noted that because the adopted rate produces increased revenues relative to the no-new-revenue calculation, a special motion was required to adopt it.

An unidentified council member moved to adopt the rate, stating the motion as "to adopt a tax rate of 56.19¢ per $100 valuation, which effectively is a 6.11% increase in the tax rate." The presiding official asked for a second and then called for a voice vote. Members answered "Aye," no opposition was voiced, and the chair announced the motion "Adopted and approved."

The meeting record shows no public commenters during the citizen comment period. The presiding official noted that Councilman Derek Conley was attending virtually. The special meeting concluded after the vote; the presiding official canceled the next Thursday’s regularly scheduled council meeting and said the council would next meet on Sept. 11.

The council’s action adopts the levy figures presented by the finance director. The transcript does not list roll-call vote tallies by name or any abstentions. Details on how the revenue increase will be allocated in the city’s operating budget were not discussed at this meeting.