Beto’s History of Raising Property Taxes

BETO’S HISTORY OF RAISING PROPERTY TAXES

“Serial flip-flopper Beto O’Rourke is once again misleading the public. Governor Abbott has reduced property taxes for Texans by over $18 billion since taking office, while Beto O’Rourke has an established track-record of increasing property taxes while serving on the city council in El Paso.”
– Mark Miner, Communications Director

O’Rourke Supported Several Large Increases Of El Paso’s Property Taxes:

El Paso’s Ordinance 16447 Raised Property Taxes In El Paso. (“Ordinance 16447,” City Of El Paso, Filed 7/31/06)

• O’Rourke Voted For Ordinance 16447. “ORDINANCE 16447: The City Clerk read an Ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE LEVYING 2007 TAXES. … Motion duly made by Mayor Pro Tempore Presi Ortega, Jr., seconded by Representative Byrd, that the Ordinance be ADOPTED. Whereupon the Mayor ordered that a vote be taken on the passage and adoption of the Ordinance which when so done resulted as follows: AYES: Representatives Lilly, Byrd, Presi Ortega, Jr., Steve Ortega, and O’Rourke NAYS: Representatives Lozano, Castro, and Holguin.” (“El Paso Regular Council Meeting Minutes,” City Of El Paso, 8/29/06)

In 2007 O’Rourke Voted For A Budget With A 9.4 Percent Increase In El Paso’s Property Taxes. “The vote on the budget was 4-3, with West-Central city Rep. Susie Byrd, East-Central Rep. Jose Alexandro Lozano, East ridge/Mid-Valley Rep. Steve Ortega and South-West Rep. Beto O’Rourke voting for the measure. Voting against a budget supported by a 9.4 percent property tax increase were Northeast Rep. Melina Castro, East Side Rep. Rachel Quintana and East-Valley Rep. Eddie Holguin.” (“City OKs $664 Million Budget After Lively Debate,” El Paso Times, 8/21/07)

In 2010 O’Rourke Voted For A Budget With A 1.73 Percent Increase In El Paso’s Property Taxes. “The City Clerk read an Ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE LEVYING FY 2011 TAXES. Motion duly made by Representative Byrd, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Acosta, that the Ordinance be ADOPTED AS REVISED, that property taxes be increased by the adoption of a tax rate $0.6537 of one percent of the assessed property value, which is effectively a 1.73% increase in the tax rate. … Whereupon the Mayor ordered that a vote be taken on the passage and adoption of the Ordinance which when so done resulted as follows: AYES: Representatives Lilly, Byrd, Acosta, Robinson, Quintana, Holguin, Ortega and O’Rourke NAYS: None” (“El Paso Regular Council Meeting Minutes,” City Of El Paso, 8/24/10)