KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Killeen residents are raising concerns after the city council unanimously approved an 8% property tax rate increase, which officials say is necessary to fund police, fire, and cost-of-living adjustments.
- The Killeen City Council unanimously approved a property tax increase of over 8%, adding an average of $183 per year for homeowners.
- City officials say the increase is needed to hire more police and fire personnel and provide more funding for the cost-of-living.
- Some residents, like Melissa Brown, worry the higher taxes will drive up rent and worsen the city’s growing homelessness crisis.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“It’s detrimental to residents and it’s detrimental to business owners,” said Killeen resident Melissa Brown.
Residents in Killeen are sharing concerns over the city's decision to raise property taxes more than 8%.
The proposal passed unanimously during Tuesday's council meeting, with a 7 to 0 vote.
“We are punishing people just for trying to live in the city of Killeen,” said Brown.
25 News spoke with longtime Killeen resident Melissa Brown - she believes the increase in taxes will have a negative impact on our community.
“We are going to tax people out of their houses. Killeen already has an issue with homelessness, a lot larger than anybody is willing to recognize or admit to, the higher we increase the taxes the higher the rent goes up and the more likely we are to have people going into homelessness,” Brown said.
But according to City Manager Kent Cagle, the increase is meant to address critical needs across our community.
“The tax rate is increasing for many purposes but number one is we are adding personnel to our police department which we haven’t done in a really long time, we’re adding to the fire department, we are also giving a 5% cost of living adjustment across the board,” said Killeen City Manager Kent Cagle.
The approved increase will cost homeowners an average of about $183.22 more per year, based on a median homestead property value of $233,428.
25 News asked Cagle about concerns raised by residents like Brown, who fear the impact on already-strained households.
“I think everybody just has to look at everything going up. The cost of living for households, we’re talking about a 3% increase. 75% of our general fund is labor and people so that hits us just as well,” said Cagle.
