Taxpayers in the Amarillo area can expect to pay more in property taxes during the upcoming fiscal year, thanks to local officials. But there’s still time to stop the city council from doing the same.
Recently, the Panhandle Groundwater District and Canyon Independent School District approved tax rates higher than the “effective” tax rate, which was renamed last year as the “no-new-revenue” rate. That is the rate which—if adopted—would collect the same total amount of property tax revenue from the same properties taxed last year, both residential and commercial.
Year-to-year property tax rate comparisons are meaningless, as property values change every year.
Citizens in Amarillo still have a chance to stop the tax hike proposed by their city council this week, with final approval set for September.
Council members are currently considering approving a tax rate of $0.39681 per $100 valuation, higher than the current tax rate for the taxing entity, which is $0.38851 per $100 valuation. If approved, the increase would mark a stark turnaround from several city council members’ pledges during the 2019 election to oppose tax increases.
Citizens can voice their concerns to their city council members during in-person hearings on September 8 and 15 at the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza. The September 8 meeting will begin at 4 p.m., and the September 15 meeting will be held at noon.
