San Marcos City Council approves 1-cent increase to tax rate

The San Marcos City Council approved a one-cent increase to the city’s tax rate during Tuesday’s regular meeting. 

The $0.6030 tax rate would assist in appointing more traffic officers and 911 telecommunicators for the city. 

Within the staff presentation, San Marcos City Manager Bert Lumbreras included that one of his top priorities for the city’s growing community is being able to meet the needs and contractual obligations of the city. 

“It may not even cover the total cost for both of these, but I think for the most part it’s going to cover a majority of them,” Lumbreras said. 

Councilmembers held a lengthy discussion surrounding the increase with some showing their support for it. 

“The most important thing we provide for our citizens is health, safety and welfare,” councilmember Melissa Derrick said. “If this one-cent increase is going to get us closer to that, then ... I don’t see how we cannot do it.”

Others expressed their concerns and opposition towards the increase. 

“Part of my concern is, we have so many projects going on around town,” councilmember Mark Gleason said. “I’d like to see us not start something else or tell the public ‘We need to raise your rate to do all these projects and by the way, we couldn’t fund the public safety portion of this.’”

After much deliberation, the council would pass the motion to increase the city tax rate 5- 2.

The council also approved the motion to order a general and special election to be held on Nov. 2, 2021, by establishing early voting and election day polling places for this election and making provisions for conducting the election. 

Another approved item by council members includes the location of the new Cooperative Laundry facility in San Marcos. 

The new robotics-based commercial laundry service facility uses automated technology at an industrial scale for major hotel brands and will be located at 1225 Fortuna Road in the Whisper Development. 

Two vacancies were needed to be filled within two city commissions. For the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the council approved the appointment of Tanger Outlet representative, Dean Domingo and for the Neighborhood Commission, university student government representative,  Andrew Gryce. 

To view the agenda and watch the full meeting, visit http://sanmarcostx.gov/421/City-Council-Videos-Archives.