Update: City will wait to ratify tax rate in November

Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks said today (Sept. 25) that the city will not be ratifying its 2014 tax rate until November.

A story in this week’s Enterprise reports that City Hall had posted agendas for nine called meetings beginning Thursday, September 26, in a continuing effort to get the necessary supermajority quorum to ratify its 2014 tax rate. But events changed as the paper went to press, and the mayor now says that the meetings remain posted but that he does not expect anyone to show up and he doesn’t plan to be there.

“It’s a useless action, and I’ve told (the appraisal district) to go on and run the tax roll without the city,” Hicks said.

With a no action by the Board of Aldermen, which has been non-functioning since three members resigned in June, the city’s tax rate defaults to the same 65 cents per $100 valuation which has been in place since 2008. The rate still must be ratified by four aldermen in order to take effect, City Hall says.

A holdover provision in the Texas Constitution stipulates that a city councilperson who resigns or otherwise vacates their seat shall continue to serve in that capacity until their successor is elected or appointed. A called meeting on September 16 was canceled. Another called meeting Monday, September 23, was attended by Mayor Larry Hicks, Aldermen Will Thompson and Sandy Skelton, and resigned alderman Debbie Roberts, but the meeting was still one short of the necessary four aldermen.

Alderman Thompson said Monday night that “bad blood” made getting the needed supermajority quorum very difficult. Hicks said he spoke with Thompson and Skelton, who both agreed it was better to wait until November.

Donley Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Paula Lowrie said today that a combined tax notice for all other local entities will be mailed to property owners in early October. A separate notice for city taxes will be mailed in November after new members are elected to the board of aldermen.