City of Pharr approves 2017-2018 budget; lowers tax rate

PHARR - At Pharr’s city commission meeting held Monday, Sept. 18, city officials approved the city’s 2017-2018 budget and also approved lowering the property tax rate to $0.649 (or 64.9 cents) per $100 valuation, a half-cent decrease from last year’s tax rate of $0.654. The decrease marks the second time in three years that Pharr leaders have provided tax relief to Pharr taxpayers.

City Manager Juan Guerra noted that under Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez’s leadership, this administration has lowered property tax rates a total of 3.1 cents in three budget cycles; this is a greater tax cut than the previous 25 years combined.

The total city-wide budget for 2017-2018, including capital improvement projects, totals $175 million; the general fund budget totals $66.9 million. The budget includes the following major highlights:

• 5% salary increase for employees who have not received an increase within the last two years;

• Merging of Police Athletic League (PAL) with Parks and Recreation operations;

• $2.5 million dollars budgeted in capital outlay for additional public safety street units and information technology software;

• Additional hiring of parks maintenance staff due to increase in park acreage;

• Consolidation and creation of a new Purchasing Department;

• New centralized Communications Department (merging police and fire communications); and

• Issuance of $16 million of debt, including $11.4 million for general fund construction projects

“We are proud to continue to see Pharr’s increased, steady, and continued growth,” said Hernandez. “Due to our administration’s strategic management of taxpayer funds, we are again able to make responsible financial decisions that benefit our Pharr taxpayers,” Hernandez added.

Press release courtesy of the City of Pharr.