NEWS
Power or tax rates: Does it add up?
The questions come up almost every year when the City of Bowie starts debating its budget.
Why are electric rates so high?
Why can’t they be lower?
It was April 1991 when the City of Bowie decided to build its own substation. It was completed in 1992. The consensus of the city council was electricity use can be controlled by residents to some extent, while property taxes cannot.
So instead of raising taxes to take care of increased city operational costs, the council opted to adjust electric rates.
Through the ensuing years tax rates have rising slightly each year, but they have never caught up to electric revenue, which is the primary revenue generator for the city.
Utility revenue contributes $9.3 million to the city budget, while general fund revenue has $6.8 million revenue with $8.5 million in expenses.
Of that, $1.83 million is budgeted for transfer into the general fund to fund its operation.
General fund revenue includes ad valorem taxes, sales tax, franchise taxes, rents and royalties, fines and assorted other fees.
Ad valorem taxes are budgeted at $1,244,706 in the 2015-16 budget, while sales tax is budgeted at $1,459,299.
The Bowie News posed this question to City Manager Ricky Tow: What tax rate would be needed to make up for the utility fund transfer that goes to the general fund?
Read the full story and examine some hypothetical rates in your weekend News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The City of Nocona has been nominated as a rural Opportunity Zone by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Mayor Christopher Nunneley said they will begin “pitching” this federal tax angle to potential businesses.”
At a Tuesday afternoon press conference Nunneley, Donna Culpepper, executive director for the Nocona Economic Development Corporation and Michelle Page of the Nocona Chamber of Commerce announced the nomination and offered a brief overview of the federal tax incentives that can become available.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Remember Sept. 11 2001, 25 years later
While history will remember Sept. 11, 2001 among the darkest days in America’s history, it also is a day marked not only by tremendous heroism and bravery by first responders, but also every day Americans from all walks of life who showed the world our country would not be intimidated by terrorism.
There were 2,996 people killed during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York city police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers. Tens of thousands more suffered in the aftermath due to exposure to chemicals and industrial debris.
The Bowie News editor asked some local lawmen, firefighters, a pilot and two retired FBI agents their memories of this tragic day and how their jobs were impacted by the events. We thank them for sharing their reflections.
Read the full feature in your Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Looking toward the future, the Bowie City Council Tuesday night voted to add an assistant city manager position promoting Public Works Director Stony Lowrance to the job.
The agenda listed an executive session to discuss evaluation of the city manager. Councilors went to closed session at 6:30 p.m. and 15 minutes later asked City Manager Bert Cunningham and Lowrance to come in. After 15 minutes they left the session and a few minutes later the full council came back to open session.
Councilor Brent Shaw, in making the motion for the assistant city manager, pointed to expanded duties the manager has undertaken. Councilor Boyd Hulstine made the second as the vote received unanimous approval.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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