BRYAN, Texas — On Tuesday the Bryan City Council voted unanimously to approve presenting an unchanged tax rate to the next public meeting on Sept. 5.
"Everybody's getting squeezed and we understand that, unfortunately, inflation has hit everyone, all the citizens but it's also hit the city and we dealt with this last year," District 4 Council Member James Edge said. "The inflation rate is really making it much more expensive as a city to govern."
The proposed rate is .624 cents for every $100 of assessed valuation. The council still has the chance to lower the rate, like they have the last two years, but that may not be the best decision according to council member Edge.
"If we were to lower the tax rate by a half a cent or a cent, you're talking about $12 to $25 a year for the average family in Bryan," Edge said "For an individual that's not a huge amount, but for the city as a whole. That can put a big hole in our city's budget."
Also on Tuesday's meeting agenda was the possible expansion of the official footprint of the city of Bryan. City staff is currently considering areas near the Rellis campus and Lake Bryan.
"We hope moving forward that some of that the additional development is going to take place within the city limits, or then we'll have partners in development that will choose to allow their properties to be annexed so that we can provide those city services and sort of manage the growth going forward," Edge said.
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