City officials in San Benito, Texas will "revisit" a town ordinance that has Winter Texans seeing red from more than just chilli. Caught with declining sales tax revenues, the town council passed a law that makes up $348,000 a year. Trouble is, it's based on placing a $10 a month surcharge on all apartments and RV spaces--occupied or not."They need to do a lot of rethinking," Sissy Wilhoit, manager at Tropical Trails RV park, said. "They owe some of us refunds." Wilhoit is quoted in a story on the subject in the Brownsville Herald. To be sure, snowbirding out-of-staters are upset by the town's approach to propping up its budget. Other RV park owners echo similar sentiments, warning town fathers that their approach will backfire when snowbirds revolt and take their rigs--and money--elsewhere.
Still, town officials claim it's necessary, and protects regular residents from an unfair monetary burden. Nevertheless, in mid-December town officials will make a "judicious review" of the matter.
photo: minimalistphotography101.com on flickr.com
Guess I won't be going to Texas any time soon.
ReplyDeleteWe're on our way to Texas this year. We'll avoid going to San Benito. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteMore and more places are looking at RVers as a new source of taxation.... Many myself included will opt to go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteFox
Thanks for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteWhen the rv'ers don't come and spend $ then the tax revenues will fall even more. Then the city can raise the water surcharge to $20. Do you see a problem with their thinking?
ReplyDeleteHave they checked with the Attorney General on this? Under Texas law, it is illegal to use water revenues for the General Fund. Such monies can only be used for the water system or to pay off water bonds.
ReplyDeletePer web site http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KHRL/2011/12/3/DailyHistory.html?req_city=San+Benito&req_state=TX&req_statename=Texas
ReplyDeleteSan Benito TX has had approximately 25% of normal rainfall levels in 2011. I am not there to know all the facts, but it might be San Benito is buying water, paying more pumping charges or trying encourage rationing of water.
Living in Northern CA we experience water surcharge frequently during periods of low rainfall.
I think that this is reasonable. Due to rainfall shortages this past year, TX is drying up. If you enjoyed this area in the past. A $10.00 fee should not be a problem. I am from New Mexico.
ReplyDelete$10? People, really? Water is a diminishing resource in a lot of places. Help the town out, not so much is it, really?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the home owners are they getting a free ride on the back of RVs and apartment dwellers.
ReplyDeleteWonder what the city will do with EMPTY RV Parks? They won't be receiving money from them when RVers go elsewhere.
ReplyDeletePlease note -- almost ALL of Texas is undergoing a severe/extreme drought. According to today's paper, some 200 towns have less than a 6-month supply of water available (including all reservoirs and groundwater.) $10 is a small price to pay.
ReplyDeleteI could see a water usage tax, but this seems to be a tax on apartment or RV sites existence since it says occupied or NOT.
ReplyDeleteDon't fret go elsewhere that what we plan on doing.
ReplyDeleteThey got water shortage. Don't add to their plight. Move to another state for avoiding all extra taxes. They don't need you guzzling water that they need anyway.
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