Houston市议会全票通过房产税率维持不变：每100美元估值征51.919美分 8800万美元预算缺口待补
Houston——位于德克萨斯州哈里斯县的休斯顿市，Houston市议会10月14日（周三）全票通过新一年度房产税率，维持每100美元应税估值征收0.51919美元（51.919美分），与上一年度相同，不作上调。表决在市政厅（Bagby街901号）举行。据FOX 26与Community Impact报道，按这一税率，一处应税估值34万美元的房产，一年需缴纳的市级房产税约为1,765.25美元。
市财政局局长梅丽莎·杜博夫斯基在会上说明，市府预计房产税收入比预算少约6,300万美元，原因包括应税房产估值增长放缓、征收率下降，以及业主申诉估值成功后评估值下调；已缴税款的业主申诉成功还可能触发退税。她表示，相关估算仍可能随征收与估值调整而变化。
市长约翰·惠特迈尔表示，市府预计的预算缺口最初估算约2.09亿美元，一度压减至约2,500万美元，其后因收入预期下修又回升至约8,800万美元。他主张先证明市府已用尽现有资源的节支与增效空间，再谈加税，并提到燃气、房租与食品等生活成本是居民当前最关心的负担。市府称，将以运营改进、跨政府协作与争取其他资金来源等方式应对缺口。
为应对缺口，市府已将固体废物服务移交 Houston 公共工程部管理，并开征每月 5 美元的垃圾费。普通住宅平均应税价值由 341,336 美元升至 348,808 美元，平均税额由 1,772.18 美元升至 1,810.97 美元；全市房产税总征收额预计由约 14.32 亿美元升至约 14.40 亿美元，增幅 0.53%。市府今年 6 月已通过年度预算、本财年于 7 月开始，后续节支措施还包括与哈里斯县整合图书馆与公园系统、精简市政人员等计划。
（资料来源：FOX 26 Houston、Community Impact对10月14日Houston市议会税率表决的报道）
Houston Council Votes Unanimously to Keep Property Tax Rate Flat at 51.919 Cents Despite $88 Million Projected Gap
Houston — Houston is a city in Harris County, Texas. The Houston City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday, October 14, to keep the city's property tax rate unchanged at $0.51919 per $100 of taxable value (51.919 cents), the same rate as last year, at City Hall, 901 Bagby Street. According to FOX 26 Houston and Community Impact, a property with a taxable value of $340,000 would owe about $1,765.25 a year in city property taxes under the adopted rate.
Finance Director Melissa Dubowski told the council that expected property tax revenue is roughly $63 million below the amount budgeted, citing slower growth in taxable property values, lower collection rates and reduced assessed values after property owners protested their appraisals; successful protests can also trigger refunds for owners who already paid. She said the estimates could still change as collections and valuation adjustments continue.
Mayor John Whitmire said a projected shortfall first estimated at about $209 million had been cut to about $25 million before revised revenue estimates pushed it back up to roughly $88 million. He argued the city should demonstrate it has done everything possible with existing resources before raising taxes, pointing to residents' concerns about the cost of gas, rent and food, and said operational improvements, collaboration with other governments and additional funding sources would be used to address the gap.
To manage the gap, the city has shifted solid waste services to Houston Public Works and introduced a $5 monthly garbage fee. The average residence homestead's taxable value rose from $341,336 to $348,808, lifting the average tax bill from $1,772.18 to $1,810.97, while the total levy on all properties is expected to rise 0.53 percent, from about $1.432 billion to about $1.440 billion. The city adopted its annual budget in June and the fiscal year began in July; further cost-saving steps under discussion include consolidating library and park systems with Harris County and reducing the municipal workforce.
(Sources: FOX 26 Houston and Community Impact reporting on the October 14 Houston City Council tax-rate vote)
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图片来源：图：休斯顿市中心天际线（资料图）。
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