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City finance director recommends keeping Bryan property tax rate at 6.24% after higher appraisals
Summary
CFO Catherine Tapscott told council certified appraisal-roll increases push the city’s taxable values higher and staff recommends holding the property-tax rate at 6.24% while officials schedule public hearings and monitor pending state legislation (SB 9).
Catherine Tapscott, the city’s chief financial officer, presented updated certified appraisal-roll values and walked council through tax-rate calculations for the upcoming fiscal year.
"Staff is recommending that we remain at the 6.24 property tax rate," Tapscott said, explaining the city's recommended rate reflects new certified values and a multi‑year forecast that preserves reserve metrics tied to bond ratings.
Tapscott told council that freeze‑adjusted values for the current fiscal year totaled about $8.68 billion—an 11.1% increase driven in part by new property additions and a large annexation—and that net taxable values after exemptions and freeze deductions are projected near $9.6 billion. At a 6.24 rate she estimated a general‑fund tax levy around $44.7 million, roughly $4.4 million higher than FY'25.
Council members pressed on reserve levels and bond-rating implications. Tapscott said keeping days‑of‑cash targets supports better borrowing terms and that staff prefers to maintain the recommended rate while uncertainty persists about pending state legislation (referred to in the meeting as SB 9) that could affect future revenue calculations.
Tapscott outlined next steps: a second regular meeting item to set the proposed tax rate, a scheduled public hearing on the tax rate, a special meeting for the public hearing and first reading of the budget ordinance, and final adoption planned for September.
