"If you decide to vote against this one and use the alternate plan, we would not be increasing the M&O rate, that's your prerogative to do so, but you have two options" sated San Juana Garza, Director of Finance.
Councilman Luis Sifuentes moved to disregard the previous ordinance and go with the alternate ordinance which would not move the M&O rate which was seconded by Councilman Rudy Villalpando.
The .368052 rate for M&O .205228 per $100 of value which would be a total tax rate of .573280 was the one rejected by council while the alternate rate of an amended ordinance of .34078 for M&O and .205228 for INS for a total of .546017 per $100 of value, a value which strictly reflects the debt collection on the recent bonds the city has gone out for the capital improvement projects across the city.
"There is a decrease in the M&O rate," clarified Sifuentes.
The motion passed 4-1 with Councilwoman Gloria Hernandez being the only dissenting vote.
The third and final hearing on the 2015-2016 proposed tax rate will be held next week.
The council then went to the third and final reading of the ordinance to expand the focus of the City's Impact Fee Advisory Committee to include roadways, storm water drainage and flood control.
City councilwoman Hernandez made the motion to do so and it was seconded by Mr. Villalpando.
"Have we made contacts with developers for them to see how they will be affected , but at the same time, how they will benefit in the long run," said Sifuentes.
"When we start looking at waterways and storm drains, this gives them the ability to study it. We still need the master plan," said City Manager Hector Chavez.
"There are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration from the tax base to ultimate fees that are assessed. We're working together and making sure that we have that relationship with contractors and businesses considering coming into Eagle Pass, it's important to make note that we're looking at these fees as a community that these fees are not something that will deter growth," said Mayor Ramsey English-Cantú who added they would be meeting on this on September 16th at Council Chambers at 5:00 PM, "We would like to make a dent in our planning department to make sure we can address the concerns that we're seeing when it comes to planning and development in our city. We're in the ordinance process right now, but it's definitely a process that is very beneficial to the city."