By Marty Kufus
Wilson County News

SAN ANTONIO — To fund an ambitious five-year plan for expanded flood control and environmental services, the river authority’s board will vote next month whether to bring back a property tax in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties.

By law, the San Antonio River Authority may levy up to 2 cents per $100 of property valuation, officials said.

At that maximum rate, the yearly tax on $50,000 worth of appraised property would be $10.

Last week, the board of directors of the San Antonio River Authority approved a “five-year service and financial plan” requiring an infusion of money through a tax whose rate has been kept at zero since 1980.

On June 19, the board will vote on the coming fiscal year’s budget and the operations and maintenance (O and M) tax rate.

If approved, the new tax rate would take effect in October in the four counties.

Board Chairman H.B. Ruckman III, of Karnes County, said last week that the annual vote to keep the tax rate at zero typically was “the most fun all year” for SARA’s board members.

“We’ve been proudly doing that,” he added, before the May 15 meeting.

Since 1980, the river authority has had adequate funding through intergovernmental contracts, lab fees, charges for other services, and investments.

But now, “with great reluctance,” the board is considering levying a revenue-generating tax, Ruckman said.

“I think the taxpayer will see that money will be saved in the long run” through SARA’s five-year plan, he said.

“I think we’ve got an awfully good track record of flood control,” Ruckman added, as evidenced by the 26 flood-control dams in Bexar and 13 in Karnes County, and two tunnels under downtown San Antonio.

Besides flood control (including basin mapping and a warning system) and drainage management, the five-year plan proposes increased activities in water resources’ protection and development, waste-water services, environmental and water-quality efforts, and parks and recreation.

SARA representatives in recent months have explained the plan and tax proposal to county judges and the mayors of the largest municipalities in the four counties, Ruckman said.

The authority also has launched a public-information campaign, including county-specific newsletters.

SARA’s fiscal year begins July 1.

A fiscal 2002-3 budget proposal, which board members are to study over the next few weeks, uses a tax rate of 1.64 cents in its estimates, according to discussion May 15.

The O and M tax in the next fiscal year could generate $8,275,076, most of it from Bexar County, according to estimates.

With this funding, SARA’s five-year plan would bring “a significantly increased level of services” in the river basin, General Manager Greg Rothe said.

The O and M tax’s revenue could not be used for the purchase of land or construction of “capital projects”; rather, it would be spent to operate and maintain projects.

In a regional strategy, SARA would partner with county and city governments, the Texas Water Development Board, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Army Corps of Engineers, officials have said.

“The total cost of these projects throughout the [river] basin over the next five years is estimated at a little more than $166 million,” a SARA report said.

Voting May 15 to approve the five-year plan were directors JC Turner of Floresville and Al Kollodziej Jr., of Poth; Leo Gleinser of Goliad County; and, Louis Rowe, Thomas Weaver, Roberto Rodriguez, Sally Buchanan, Nancy Steves, and Jim Johnson of Bexar County.

Director Adair Sutherland of Goliad County abstained. Director Truett Hunt of Karnes County was absent.

One of the SARA directors called it “a momentous vote.”

Headquartered at 100 E. Guenther St., in downtown San Antonio, the river authority may be phoned (free) from outside the city at 1-866-345-7272.

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