A decrease in property value is the reason for Missouri City’s possible tax rate increase, and the city says the national mortgage crisis and Hurricane Ike are to blame.
Last year’s property value in Missouri City was appraised at $4,414,455,379, which dropped this year to $4,115,269,944. The decrease caused the city’s effective tax rate – the rate at which the city will generate the same amount of money as last year – to jump by about a penny.
City council will vote tonight on possibly increasing the tax rate from $0.51724 per $100 of property value to $0.5284.
The city’s 2010 budget was “developed recognizing the uncertainty of the economy in these unprecedented times,” according to City Manager Frank Simpson, and at $33,192,305 is a little more than 2 percent less than the 2009 budget.
Even with the budget cuts, the city is facing a $750,000 deficit with the proposed tax rate, and plans a hiring freeze and other cuts to cover the difference.
According to city representatives, $350,000 will be saved by not filling all open, full-time position vacancies, other than those in the police department, fire department and public safety dispatchers. Lower than expected employee health insurance premiums will save the city $100,000, and the city will lower the contingency account by $200,000. An additional $50,000 will be saved by a reduction in various line items, such as conference training, travel accounts and minor tool accounts.
Simpson said in a July memo to council concerning the budget that if “this year’s ‘cuts’ are sustained and any additional ‘cuts’ are made for future budgets, it is likely that eventual
reductions in programs and services will be realized.”
7. October 2009 at 12:45 pm
BUY A GOLF COURSE.. EVERYBODY PAYS…
6. October 2009 at 2:57 pm
Well done! *APPLAUSE*
6. October 2009 at 2:56 pm
Ask and ye shall receive:
Below are the notes from last night’s Missouri City Council Meeting by Q. V. Fund Marketing Director Susan Fox:
1. Missouri City Police and Fire Auxiliary presented checks in the amount of $8000 each to the Police and Fire Chiefs. The Police Department will use their funds to continue outfitting their SWAT vehicle, which is used by the regional SWAT team and the Fire Department will use their funds to purchase additional equipment for water rescue.
2. New Police Captain Geneana Merritt was introduced. She recently joined the department after a nationwide search was conducted. She was most recently w/ the Philadelphia Police Department. She will be responsible for the Criminal Investigations Division.
3. October 5 – 9 has been proclaimed as Fire Prevention Week in Missouri City and the month of October proclaimed as National Planning Community Month.
4. Consent agenda was approved which included approval of previous meeting minutes, awarding a contract for the mass grading for the surface water treatment plant, executing an interlocal agreement w/ Fort Bend County for the purchases of goods and services, awarding a contract for traffic signal services, purchasing of email software through the Texas Department of Information Resources cooperative contract and approving a Community Event application for a High School Girls Softball Tournament.
5. Council considered the request for a Special Use Permit to locate an adult day care center in the old Foodarama shopping center. Council members had some concerns regarding the condition of that shopping center and the lack of upgrades. Council asked staff to have the property owner present at the next Council Meeting.
6. Council considered a request for zoning deviations from Auto Zone, which is wishing to place a store in the new Kroger shopping center. This request was postponed due to the deviations that were requested for the amount of parking spaces. Auto Zone wishes to have more parking spaces than what is currently allowed.
7. Council considered a zoning change request from the developers of the approximate 20 acre track that borders on FM 1092 and Hampton. The developers intent is to build an age restricted (55+) community w/ patio homes, independent living quarters and assisted living facilities. Some of the deviations being requested were density, reduction in greenbelts, use of hardy plank on interiors, asphalt shingles, parking screening, reductions in buffers and covered parking. Council members took issue w/ the covered parking and informed the developer that garages would need to be included in the independent living. Density of the patio homes was then discussed. The part of this track that is planned for the patio homes is currently zoned R5 (Townhomes), but it was determined that if patio homes were built, then the density would have to conform to the zoning requirements for patio homes, which is 6 dwellings per acre. The developer was uncertain as to actual density needs as a builder for the patio homes has yet to be selected. The issue of fencing was discussed, particularly in regards to common fencing with the homes within Quail Valley, and whether or not these fences would be on the property line and who would be responsible for maintaining the fence. The measure passed with changing the zoning of the tract slated for patio homes to R-4 zoning.
8. A resident of Pine Court addressed Council with concerns about the proposed above mentioned development. He raised concerns about traffic congestion, lot sizes and density of the patio homes, and the possible negative impact on property values of homes in Quail Valley. It was pointed out with the R-4 zoning, the density of the patio home development would be less than the current R-5 (town home) zoning.
9. Council authorized a tax rate of $.5284, a slight increase from the previous year of $.51724. City Manager Simpson gave short presentation, allowing how the City had already reduced its budget by $695,000, anticipating the economic downtown. In addition, staff is going to reduce the budget by an additional $750,000 by managing job vacancies (which will not include the Police or Fire Departments open positions), savings on employee medical benefits, reducing contingency funds and other small cuts in smaller line items. Simpson allowed that the City will slightly increase the percentage share of spending on debt service, because of the economic down turn: right now, it much cheaper to borrow money, meaning interest payments on bonds are much lower and construction costs are also down significantly. Simpson reiterated that the City is in sound financial condition, has excellent credit ratings with Moody and Standard and Poors, and was recently received an award ( for the 21st year in a row) for its excellent fiscal management. It was also noted that the tax rate remains below the $.53 cap that was promised with the 2003 bond election.
10. Council Bobby Marshall will be the City’s designee for the Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) for the remainder of this year and next year.
11. Council approved an advanced funding agreement with TXDOT for the construction of an intelligent transportation system. System will be installed on the traffic signals of these main arteries: Texas Parkway (TXP), Cartwright Road (CW), FM 1092 and HWY 6. This is a joint project and with funding from the state, the City saved $550,000.
6. October 2009 at 2:39 pm
Why don’t you give everybody a run down of what all happened at the council meeting yesterday instead of yammering on?
6. October 2009 at 2:38 pm
Crowd goes silent? Do you think anyone is somehow obligated to respond to your childish rants?
6. October 2009 at 2:34 pm
And the crowd goes silent…
Do you know why you can walk into City Hall and look at the pictures to the right of the steps and see the same familiar face in every picture? It isn’t because everything is wonderful. It isn’t even because everything is just ok. It is because no one wants to take a stand. Everyone wants someone else to do it for them.
Q: ‘Can you make it to a City Council meeting to show support?’
A: ‘Oh no… I am too busy feeding my face at that time.’
Q: ‘Can you write a letter to your council person?’
A: ‘I don’t write well.’
Q: ‘Can you invite some of your friends to an interest meeting at my house?’
A: ‘Sorry, I don’t want to be that involved and my friends might look at me funny.’
Q: ‘Are you mad about what is happening?’
A: ‘Very mad!’
Q: ‘Then why don’t you show up, instead of just complaining about it?’
A: ‘Oh, well, what will be, will be.’
You cannot complain about life, if life to you is just sitting around waiting for things to happen. You cannot complain about a City trampling over your property values if you don’t take the time to stand up and tell them, ‘STOP! NO MORE!’ You cannot complain about someone else taking a stand, when you won’t take a stand yourself.
6. October 2009 at 10:48 am
Aaaaaand we’re back to name calling and unproductive rants. Good grief folks! Don’t you find these types of back and forth’s unproductive and boring? I do.
“… a decrease in property value is the reason for Missouri City’s possible tax rate increase, and the city says the national mortgage crisis and Hurricane Ike are to blame.”
Really? Ike and mortgage issues… perhaps some of the issue of declining value is directly related, maybe even a large portion. But how much of this decrease in property value is directly related to poor decisions and mismanagement throughout the City? And why exactly are we (citizens) footing the bill for poor decisions, versus getting rid of the people who have created and enforced those bad decisions?
In business, when a publicly traded company takes a dive, the CEO or Board of Directors (or both) are ousted and new people are brought in. A new game plan is put in place in an attempt to regain the value lost.
Are we as citizens not all stakeholders in this City? Why do we sit here, year after year and wait for things to get better while continuing to keep the same people in office? Does this make sense to anyone?! I am tired of footing the bill for others mistakes. If that isn’t a true conservative view, then I don’t know what is. I am tired of footing the bill for pet projects around this City, while two feet beyond my own backyard, City owned property falls into disrepair. The more questions I ask, the more runaround I get. The more answers I provide, the more the City tells me I am out of my mind. The more I confront the City, the more they skirt the issue.
Don’t take my hard earned money and spend it on mistakes. Don’t take my hard earned money and gift it to others who do not deserve it. Don’t pee in my face and tell me it’s raining.
You want change? Get on board folks… Less than 220 days until the 2010 May elections.
6. October 2009 at 10:30 am
calvin grow up
6. October 2009 at 8:16 am
fbcon, seriously, how much are you paid to blog for the interests that pillage our neighbors and taxpayers? Do you feel like the call boy that you are?
6. October 2009 at 7:11 am
yep stark raving, full moon, off your meds crazy.
5. October 2009 at 8:15 pm
Well moron, since I know who you are and also know you are not very educated. It isn’t much of an insult coming from someone who likes to feed his neighbors to the foreclosure boys or defend multiple tax increases and big vendor feeding spending projects either. You see charlieB, I’m absolutely certain that you have been a bully probably most of your life as is evident from your long well documented behavior in these forums. So nothing the “village idiot”, as you’ve been labeled by others in here, would say surprises anyone. Not your death threats, attacks or something lame like this.
In other words you need to get a life, other than serving as a toadie to the special interest and their politicians. By now I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t know your game. And no feeding the government vendors and going after peoples property IS NOT considered conservative fool. Now you like to bait responses out and make libelous statements repeatedly. How about you surprise us next time idiot.
And yes I am calling you charlieB an idiot (not your pseudos-”wadefishin/johnbernardbooks/ftbendconman”), YOU……and no I’m not laughing this time jerk!
PS Own up to your words and take responsibility for your actions since your criticize everyone else for not doing what you pretend to, JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, “Joe do you even know how to be positive? I’m sorry if life is so bad for you…maybe you’ll ened it all soon?”
5. October 2009 at 8:02 pm
no I mean as in stark raving, full moon, off your meds crazy.
5. October 2009 at 6:57 pm
You mean crazy like this charlieB (Allen Owen buddy), FtBendConservative says: September 4th, 2009 at 8:36 pm (#) SillyAnthony don’t you have some little old ladies to kneecap?
Yep anyone who does make statements like those must be crazy in your world government vendor defender and corporate welfare queen apologist (and Allen Owen buddy)
5. October 2009 at 6:54 pm
CharlieB simply can’t help but make scummy statements like these below (it is in his nature):
“FtBendConservative says: September 4th, 2009 at 8:36 pm (#) SillyAnthony don’t you have some little old ladies to kneecap?
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Jun 30 at 06:45 AM » Joe do you even know how to be positive? I’m sorry if life is so bad for you…maybe you’ll ened it all soon?”
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Saturday, May 24 at 06:13 AM »
“please “know” that teaching is a professional career and teachers with college degrees are not to be treated as unskilled workers/laborers who blindly punch a clock and a boss can say, “Do as you are told, not as I do”.”…are teachers the biggest whiners are what….they have a cush job…very little stress and all they do is bitch. Try working in a real job where you actually have to produce a product…
FtBendConservative says:
September 26th, 2009 at 8:21 pm (#)
Joe are you on crack?
-Yep anyone who does make statements like those must be crazy in your world government vendor defender and corporate welfare queen apologist (and Allen Owen buddy)
5. October 2009 at 6:33 pm
stark raving loony
5. October 2009 at 5:24 pm
Tabor, mega/jbb won’t quit until bedtime. So just wait around a few minutes and he will get mommy to tuck him in. LOL
69. “MEGABITE says:
October 5th, 2009 at 4:56 pm (#)
But I’ve given you enough attention for the day, Grandpa. It’s almost your bedtime anyway. haha”
crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony..crony.. I know it’s to high for you at this stage of your intellectual development…hahaha
5. October 2009 at 5:21 pm
Why do you care? You don’t even live there anymore.
5. October 2009 at 5:20 pm
I just wonder why that bottom land deal that they paid over 600k to a developer that appears on the campaign finance reports of Owen, Wyatt and Jimerson aren’t mentioned in the budget report or this article. Isn’t that close to the amount of the deficit? And whatever happened to that promised hospital to replace Hermann? hum? I guess that’s what passes for good city leadership these days……what’s that old song? Spin, spin, spin spin….spin your web and they draw you in…..hahaha
5. October 2009 at 5:17 pm
Tabor= Who are you to tell anybody what to do? Nobody, that’s who.
17! Wow, he couldn’t have proven my point any better.
How am I a crony boy when I don’t work for the city or hold an elected position in any shape or form, liar? quit while you are WAYYYYY behind, Grandpa!
5. October 2009 at 5:15 pm
Is that 16, 17 or 18. You pick crony-boy.
Explain this while you are at it:
“The S&P report stated: “In our view, the city’s high overlapping tax rates, combined with high overall debt burden from the overlapping school district and many inside-city municipal utility districts (MUDs), preclude a higher rating.”
The report noted that the city’s tax base was expanding and diversifying, and that its tax rate was “stable,” but that the overall tax burden can be “well in excess of $3.70 in some parts of the city.” Chronicle
It at least makes it look like you aren’t trying to derail another thread if you do jerk. LOL
PS Don’t miss bedtime now. ….=-}
5. October 2009 at 5:14 pm
megabite why don’t you just shut up.
5. October 2009 at 5:13 pm
Darn, now the crony-boy has to start over before bedtime he miscounted again. I wonder if the brown shirts teach the H youth this? Maybe someday he will try and figure out why “cronyism” is costing the taxpayers instead of blindly defending it…….na
LOL
-Start your count over mega. It’s ok….haha…you can still make bedtime like you promised!
5. October 2009 at 5:07 pm
Make that 15. We may break a record, folks!
5. October 2009 at 5:06 pm
What color is the sky in your World, Grandpa? Just curious.
Crony word count=14. Like a retarded parrot.
5. October 2009 at 5:06 pm
Patriot, he must have missed all the earlier posts on land deals, campaign finance reports and his crony network boys. He also seemed to have lost count again.
I know he can start over at 8…..LOL
-There is one born every minute and sometimes 2! . . . =-}
5. October 2009 at 5:04 pm
It’s something he doesn’t ever use, but he think it makes him sound collegial if he pretends.
PS mega/jbb don’t forget the count crony-boy corporate welfare queen and try the mantra I suggested earlier. It will make you feel better I promise. Maybe if you say it enough you will begin to believe you really are a conservative. LOL
5. October 2009 at 5:01 pm
I don’t work for the city or hold an elected position. That really throws a wrench in your lies, now doesn’t it, Grandpa?
Why do you care what hapopens in MC since you don’t even live there? Just whining for whinings sake?
5. October 2009 at 5:00 pm
If you would’ve been paying attention you’d see the moonbat uses his little buzzword dozens of times a day. Funny you
should bring up ignorance when you have no idea what your
babbling on about…again.
5. October 2009 at 4:58 pm
What is it with Megamouth and the spell checker and thesaurus? That seems so antithetical to his otherwise insistence on protecting his own ignorance. Weird even.
5. October 2009 at 4:57 pm
Well try this crony:
“The S&P report stated: “In our view, the city’s high overlapping tax rates, combined with high overall debt burden from the overlapping school district and many inside-city municipal utility districts (MUDs), preclude a higher rating.”
The report noted that the city’s tax base was expanding and diversifying, and that its tax rate was “stable,” but that the overall tax burden can be “well in excess of $3.70 in some parts of the city.” Chronicle
Maybe that will cause a major huddle on your end to try and figure out how to answer the S&P comments and spin the current problems. I believe this supports my claims of the city leadership. Hopefully they will lose more Owen seats as they did in ‘07 and ‘09. LOL (at you mega/jbb–charlieB not with you)
5. October 2009 at 4:56 pm
But I’ve given you enough attention for the day, Grandpa. It’s almost your bedtime anyway. haha
5. October 2009 at 4:53 pm
12. Don’t you realize you repeat the same things over and over and over and over and over? Looks like alzheimers might be setting in…
5. October 2009 at 4:50 pm
Why crony, you couldn’t understand the variation. LOL
Come on give us a “keeper” loser.
5. October 2009 at 4:48 pm
Crony count=10, parrot. Do us all a favor and peruse a thesaurus, moron. haha
5. October 2009 at 4:48 pm
10 is next cronyboy (charlieB) or did you forget? haha
5. October 2009 at 4:46 pm
You must of lost count mega/jbb. Is it getting to high for our crony-boy vendor defender?
LOL
5. October 2009 at 4:45 pm
Tabor- Nobody cares.
5. October 2009 at 4:44 pm
I claimed I live in SL, because I DO live in SL. DUrrrr
Crony count=9, broken record.
5. October 2009 at 4:43 pm
I will post whenever I like. And my comments about not feeding the troll were directed at you!
5. October 2009 at 4:43 pm
Did you forget moron that you claimed you lived in SL???? Can’t even remember your story now. That’s funny!
Sorry mega/jbb, everyone is welcome here but you charlieb. Even as wadefishin no one paid much mind to you. Too bad you have had some success disrupting these forums, but the news and truth still get past you. I wonder if your crony-buddies deduct from your gifts when you fail them…..
5. October 2009 at 4:42 pm
You were the one busted using 24 different monikers, not me.
I only have 1. Are you ever right about anything? Ever? WOW
5. October 2009 at 4:41 pm
‘Crony’ count=8.
Why do you keep whining about MC when you don’t even live there anymore? Sheer boredom? Or do you just have to have something to whine and cry about constantly? What a pathetic existence. haha
5. October 2009 at 4:38 pm
No mega/jbb (Crony-boy, singular now posting as ftbendconman), the “village idiot” was taken long ago by you. Or did you forget that dos centavos gave you that moniker charlieB. Just another poster you wrongfully attacked many times.
Isn’t this great!
PS Patriot, our troll really doesn’t know when to shut his mouth, but that’s ok. It keeps this embarrassing thread for his city boys in the front and center so everyone can see how poorly managed the city is and has been. Of course if your perspective is that of a crony-boy in the crony network who is getting these tax dollars for their special projects while the rest of the city waits and waits while paying for it, then I’m sure someone is happy. LOL
5. October 2009 at 4:35 pm
Tabor- Why don’t YOU go away instead?
5. October 2009 at 4:33 pm
Thanks Patriot. JBB/Mega (charlieB) must be in quite a panic today given the information coming out about his favorite mayor and city. It must be hard for him to digest.
5. October 2009 at 4:31 pm
MAYBE IF NO ONE FED THE TROLL THEY WOULD GO AWAY?
5. October 2009 at 4:26 pm
That has to go down as one of the stupidest things ever written on here. Top 5. Congratulations!
5. October 2009 at 4:22 pm
And you are making up stupid sensationalistic exaggerated stupid analogies about things you know absolutely nothing about. Please don’t pretend to know anything about wolves. You only show your total ignorance on yet one more subject, fool.
5. October 2009 at 4:18 pm
Please, fbcon and megamouth are taking up good space with their chatter. santhony has informed perspectives that are vital for FortBendNow’s readers. Please fbco/megamouth stop exposing yourselves.
5. October 2009 at 4:13 pm
he’s a nut plain and simple