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Hays officials propose 7.5% property-tax increase to fund street repairs, schedule September public hearing
Summary
City officials filed a proposed budget Aug. 4 and recommended a 7.5% property-tax increase to raise revenue for street repairs; they said the city could raise the rate up to 8% but proposed 7.5% to avoid a resident petition and aim to hold a public hearing in September.
The presiding official announced on Aug. 4 that the city had submitted a proposed budget and recommended a 7.5% increase in the property-tax rate to generate additional funds for street repairs.
The speaker said the city could raise the tax rate up to 8% but intentionally proposed 7.5% “because it went over 8%” would expose the city to a resident petition or an election. “I recommended the 7.5% increase in taxes,” the presiding speaker said. The official said the filing starts a 30-day clock for a public hearing and proposed scheduling the budget-and-tax-rate public hearing in September so the council could adopt a budget and tax rate at the next regular meeting.
Council members discussed logistics for notifying residents and asked staff to place the setting of public hearings on the agenda for the next week. The speaker said the proposed budget would be posted on the city website and offered to email copies to council members not on the budget committee.
The council did not take a formal vote on the budget or tax rate at the special meeting; the discussion set a procedural schedule for the 30-day public-notice period and a September hearing. Specific revenue projections tied to the 7.5% proposal were not provided in the transcript.
