AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Yesterday Amarillo City Commissioners approved a new property tax increase cap and it will cost you some money.
It amounts to about a 6.92% increase for residents of Amarillo. It would generate revenue to fund five new police officers and five new detectives,plus the city staff to support them. But there is still a chance that 6.92% can come down, because that number is just the maximum possible increase.
Commissioners on both sides of the issue considered the current economic situation.
City Commissioner Brian Eades told ProNews 7, "I actually believe that this year since we've had the worst economic downturn since the great depression, I think we need to hold steady I think we need to all pull in our belts a little bit because there are people really struggling. We've got gas prices going back up we've got inflation of the horizon so this is not the time to increase people's property taxes."
Amarillo's Mayor Debra McCartt said, "I know this is a small increase but to some people this may be a large increase, but I do also know we are a city that moves every day we're an active community we are a community that needs to address the series that would provide to our community that includes the safety of our citizens."
