Services hike? City considers options among $7.4M bond

By DAVID LOPEZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

At a budget workshop late last month, City Manager Manuel De La Rosa proposed various options in order to pay for several initiatives, including roadway and sewer system repairs.

De La Rosa presented the options of a possible water rate increase, a tax increase, and creating a street maintenance fee in addition to a proposed $7.4 million bond to fund the rehabilitation of six sewer lift stations.

The City Manager told commissioners present at the workshop that they will have to decide by the end of July, as their second budget meeting is scheduled for July 28.

“I stressed to the City Commission that the budget proposal is very preliminary at this stage,” De La Rosa stated in an email.

De La Rosa suggested a three-cent increase to the property tax rate of 72.8125 cents per 100 dollar valuation to increase the general fund budget revenue from $12.2 million to 12.38 million.

He also proposed an increase in San Benito’s water rate.

According to a comparison study from January 2014, San Benito has the second-highest rate in the Valley after east Rio Hondo, with a combined base residential water and sewer rate of $49.68 for 2,000 gallons.

Furthermore, the City Manager discussed the lingering issue of the six sewer lift stations needing repair.

“I discussed a proposed $7.4 million bond to fund the rehabilitation of six sewer lift stations in accordance with the SSOI project and TCEQ,” De La Rosa stated. “Additionally and included in that total are the construction of an additional lift station for future development in the City, and $500,000 for improvements to Water Treatment Plant No. 1,” De La Rosa stated in an email.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length. To read the full story, click here or make sure to grab a copy of the July 10-16, 2020 issue of the NEWS.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2020/07/10/services-hike-city-considers-options-among-7-4m-bond/

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