DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF)- The Texas House is debating an issue that will cap the growth of property tax rates at 2.5%. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said he believes property taxes should come down but they need to find a better number or else the city will have to make major changes.
“It would be very dangerous for our cities mainly because it costs us more than that to keep the services the same… let alone add new services,” Rawlings said.
Rawlings said if it passes they won’t be able to hire new public safety officers and cut funding for repair and maintenance on roads and several other public services.
“It would be a difference of $32 million that equates to over 300 public service officers police and fire…we’re not going to be able to hire them, are we going to make cuts? We’ll have to figure it out,” he said.
Rawlings said that money is basically what the city spends on its entire library system and half of what it spends for maintenance and repairs on roads. “Major cuts are going to have to be made if we don’t figure out a better way to do this,” Rawlings said.
The House is expected to vote on this bill Thursday.
