Lytle Council to consider property tax cut Sept. 8

The City of Lytle is proposing to cut property taxes this year.
Offsetting an increase in appraised values, the City Council will vote on Sept. 8 to lower the tax rate for a net average saving of 3.49 percent.
According to city documents, the total tax per $100 of appraised value would drop from the current $0.4475 to $0.4154 – a 7.17 percent decrease.
The average homestead taxable value, meantime, would rise from $121,497 to $125,443 – a 3.24 percent increase.
With the proposed lower tax rate, the average homestead tax bill in Lytle would drop from $544 to $521 this year.
Overall, the city would collect $780,435 in property tax revenue in 2020, a decrease from $808,664 in 2019.
A public hearing on the tax proposal will be conducted at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the Lytle Community Center, 19031 Priest Blvd. The council will vote after the hearing.
Mayor Pro-Tem Ruben Gonzalez told the News that the council’s goal is to set a rate below the level that what would trigger a public tax vote. Under state law, an 8 percent tax increase could trigger such a referendum.
As always, a council can approve a decrease or an increase in taxes.
“We understand that families are going through tough and challenging times,” he said. “It’s important that we hear from the public on Tuesday.”
(The above figures were taken from a public notice in this week’s The Devine News).
By Kenric Ward
Reporter