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Nacogdoches council adopts FY2024–25 budget, sets higher property tax rate
Summary
After a public hearing, the City of Nacogdoches adopted its $2024–25 budget and approved a higher property tax rate, apportioning most of the increase to operations and a smaller share to debt service. Council approved both items by recorded vote, with officials noting that much of the change reflects voter‑approved debt.
The City of Nacogdoches City Council on Sept. 17 adopted the fiscal year 2024–25 budget and set a higher property tax rate after a public hearing and recorded votes.
City staff member Todd reviewed the budget and the public notice, telling the council that the current property tax rate is 47.445¢ per $100 of valuation and that the proposed figures on the table would raise the rate and the average homeowner’s annual payment. "With the new tax rate, they'll be paying $857.39 a year," Todd said, contrasting that with $703.04 under the current rate. He told the council that values rose on average about 9.43 percent and that much of the increase is tied to new debt voters approved.
At the recorded vote on the budget ordinance (item 6b), the motion to adopt the FY2024–25 budget passed unanimously. The council then considered Item 6c to ratify a tax rate for 2024. On the floor staff and council discussed the required state language and record‑vote procedure. Council adopted an overall tax rate and then voted separately to apportion it: the council apportioned 47.154¢ per $100 valuation to maintenance and operations (M&O) and 5.723¢ per $100 valuation to interest and sinking (I&S) for debt service. Both apportionment motions passed on record votes.
Resident Brandy Cartwright, speaking during the public hearing, urged the council to consider historical context, noting earlier years when rates were higher and that prior reductions followed payoff of debt. "Even though it's going up this year by a few cents, in the past it has been as much as 10¢ higher," she said, adding that recent decreases reflected paid‑off liabilities.
Council discussion referenced guidance from the Texas Municipal League on sequencing budget and rate adoption and city staff emphasized that newspaper and website notices had been published as required by state statute. The council recorded roll‑call votes on the motions and each passed unanimously.
The council did not adopt any changes that evening beyond the budget and the apportionment motions; the tax rate ordinance includes an effective date as read into the record. The meeting record shows the council completed the required three record votes and approved the budget and rate as presented.
