City Hall Hustle: Discount Government

That beeping you hear is the rollback rate, backing up

"...surface: perennial hand-wringing over setting property taxes at a rate that can actually address Austin's ever-growing needs and laments..."

Sept. 4, 2009 News Column by Wells Dunbar

The Daily Hustle: 7/28/10 (Updated)

Big budget balanced

"...proposed 2011 budget won't increase property taxes to the rollback rate (the highest increase without a special election), for..."

July 28, 2010 News Post by Wells Dunbar

Another Day, Another Hearing

City Council listens and chats on budget

"...“Concept” conversation, City Council set the "maximum” property tax rate – at the new rollback rate of .4609 –..."

Aug. 28, 2015 News Post by Michael King

Point Austin: Whose Budget?

The council asks for a new budget, and Futrell delivers the same old bill

"...At that time, Futrell had estimated the "effective" tax rate – the rate that would bring in the same..."

Aug. 4, 2006 News Column by Michael King

Property Tax Time

Choosing a reasonable tax rate, what the voters say, and important dates

"...The property tax rate can't be finalized yet, as it is dependent upon..."

June 25, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Settling the FY 2019 Budget

Council sorts out tax rate, final spending

"...made. Having already adopted a potential "maximum" property tax rate increase of 6% (2% below the 8% "rollback rate"..."

Sept. 14, 2018 News Feature by Michael King

Live-Blogging the FY 2008 Budget

Just what the title says!

"...An extra $10.9 million from going at the higher rollback rate eats up the share of the "gap." In..."

July 26, 2007 News Post by Wells Dunbar

The Daily Hustle: 9/10/10

Sheryl Cole knows what's up

"...the possibility of going over Marc Ott's proposed tax rate was Sheryl Cole. As the chair of council's Audit..."

Sept. 10, 2010 News Post by Wells Dunbar

City Hall Hustle: Discount Government, Part II

Historically low city tax rates bite back in the longer run

"...council's financial sage, noted Austin's "abnormally low" property tax rate is "too low ... to support a city this..."

Sept. 11, 2009 News Column by Wells Dunbar

How the Revenue Cap "Reform" Will Affect Austin and Travis County

Senate Bill 2, explained

"...tax code. What we used to call the "effective" rate is now the "no-new-revenue" rate, and what was the..."

June 7, 2019 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

City Counciling: City Budget Preview

Not great, could be worse

"...moreover, is predicated on increasing property taxes to the "rollback" rate – a jump from 42.09 cents per $100..."

April 30, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Balance the Budget (In Three Years) in Five (Not-so-Easy) Steps

It will take both unpleasant tax hikes and spending cuts to balance the city budget -- and not until 2006

"...Step 2: The effective rate..."

May 30, 2003 News Feature

Point Austin: Follow the Money

Final city budget discussions begin in earnest

"...• Current (nominal) property tax rate: 50.29 cents per $100 taxable value..."

Aug. 9, 2013 News Column by Michael King

City Budget: Open Season on 'Vacancies'

Council has little thirst for raising property taxes

"...the regular meeting to address the proposed property tax rate, which Council decided a week ago, following perfunctory deliberation,..."

Aug. 23, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

That Figures

City Manager Jesus Garza introduces a budget that focuses on roads, utilities, and cops, and skates around a needed tax increase.

"...the budget of the Austin Police Dept. And crime rates in Austin -- never that high to begin with..."

Aug. 18, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

The Chips Are Down

Budget balancing picks up speed – and it's anything but fun and games

"...input on two very touchy topics: the eventual property-tax rate and prospective pay for city employees, especially the most..."

June 26, 2009 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Happy Times ... in Moderation

City budget preview projects strong economy, careful spending

"...effect such projections might be on potential property tax rates. In several charts, the budget staff had projected what..."

April 26, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

Beside the Point

With shrinking sales tax receipts, so much for shopping ourselves outta recession

"...officer Greg Canally prepared three projections (with each property-tax rate including an extra penny to pay for the 2006..."

May 2, 2008 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Austin @ Large: Austin at Large

The city may go where it feared to tread last year -- tax hikes, layoffs, and cutting public safety budgets.

"...why, because of my impolitic opinions about Austin's fiscal strategy, I could never join Daryl Slusher (here) or Laura..."

Feb. 28, 2003 News Column by Mike Clark-Madison

Beside the Point: City Budget

Council goes for the rollback rate, gives early Christmas presents

"...talks, mostly transpiring behind closed doors, council adopted the "rollback" property tax rate of 41.26 cents to fund the..."

Sept. 15, 2006 News Column by Wells Dunbar

City Budget: Scrubbed and Squeaky Clean

The budget gets balanced, saved by the sales tax – and some scrubbing

"...a property tax increase is coming in below the rollback rate, the highest increase allowed without a special election...."

July 30, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Beside the Point

The budget circus rolls into town

"...the property tax above her proposal of the "effective rate" (39.54 cents – lower than last year, but due..."

June 15, 2007 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Budget Stretch Run

City money season at full speed – and the dollars are chasing the needs

"...Aug. 22, 29: Budget, tax rate, and utility rate formal public hearings..."

Aug. 2, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

City Hall Hustle: Twisting the Knife

Is Austin heading for a double-dip recession?

"...already assuming we bump up property taxes to the "rollback" rate, the highest tax increase – in this case,..."

April 22, 2011 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Toby Futrell's Budget

The staff-proposed city budget goes to council, with both breathing and wiggle room

"...budget as proposed is "balanced" at the effective tax rate – 39.85 cents per $100 of assessed property value..."

Aug. 4, 2006 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

City Budget: Room to Move

Council nears final decisions on 2019 budget

"...an overall 2% increase in taxes and fees – moderate by recent standards. Then last Wednesday, Aug. 29, staff..."

Sept. 7, 2018 News Feature by Michael King

Crash-Scene Budget

The budget balances, and stitching is transparent

"...For starters, there's the property tax rate, proposed at 43.28 cents. That's the "rollback rate" –..."

July 31, 2009 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Beside the Point: Taxing Effectively

Debate should focus on meeting community needs, not arbitrary numbers

"...Ditto for the tax rate, but lest we forget, there's still the none-too-little matter..."

Sept. 8, 2006 News Column by Wells Dunbar

City Budget: Here's Your Adoption Punchlist

When the roll is called up yonder, don't expect a slam dunk

"...taxes having taken a precipitous hit and a tax rate proposed by the city manager that doesn't rise to..."

Sept. 10, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Council: Downtown Puzzle or Rubik’s Cube?

Dais division brewing over hotel tax spending, tourism industry

"...local residents. The city would raise its property tax rate (the tentative proposal was 46.51 cents per $100 valuation,..."

Aug. 28, 2017 News Post by Michael King

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