Summerfield approves $13 million budget with tax hike

The Summerfield Town Council has approved a $13.5 million budget that raises taxes for the first time in a decade.

The decision comes in part as officials attempt to get ahead of House Bill 801. The legislation would allow for the General Assembly to study what are called "paper towns" and determine if their charters should be revoked. 

The term refers to municipalities that provide little to no services for their residents.

The Council voted 4-1 to approve the budget that nearly doubles the property tax rate for citizens. The increase was proposed, in part, to add services to Summerfield. But Council Member John Doggett, who voted against it, said he couldn't support the increase without knowing more about how the town would support new services.

"I'd like to see a plan before we fund these services," Doggett said. "My fear is that that money will be there and it will be incorporated into something else."

Mayor Tim Sessoms said he didn't understand the timing of the increase.

"I don't know why we're trying to act in front of something becoming a law and creating expenditures and a need to double the taxes to the citizens of Summerfield," he said. "If the bill passes, we could always call the meeting then and adjust and deal with it, but then we're dealing with facts. We're not dealing with possibility."

Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney said the increase was needed regardless of the legislation to adjust for growing expenses.

"Everything that you look at, all the maintenance, all the materials, projects, whatever it is, every single thing has increased for us, the town of Summerfield," she said.

The major projects included in the budget are Bandera Farms Park, a water tower, and a greenway trail.