Demand for City-type
Services
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Demand for City-Type Services
 Development in the unincorporated area
may result in the expectation that the
County should provide different, city-type
services
 SB 89 passed in 1999 made the
annexation process more difficult
therefore, the City of San Antonio has
curtailed annexation
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Demand for City-Type Services
 “City”-type Services:
 Utilized City’s FY 2010-11 Budget to
establish a cost per citizen
 Used Unincorporated Area population to
establish a budget for these services
 Calculated the tax rate needed to pay for
these services
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Demand for City-Type Services
 Services not provided by the
County that may be expected in a more
urban unincorporated area setting:
 Code Enforcement - $2.4 M.
 Cultural Affairs - $1.5 M.
 Customer Service/311 - $805 K.
 Development Services - $4.3 M.
 Fire/EMT - $48.5 M.
 Police - $63.4 M.
 Solid Waste Management - $20 M.
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Cost for City-Type Services
 Bexar County budget would increase by
$155 million if implemented in 2012
 This does not include costs associated
with start-up such as the construction of
buildings, vehicles, etc.
 Assumes all costs are paid through
property tax revenue, no special fees
included.
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Legal Challenges/Barriers
 Counties in Texas do not have “home
rule” authority, they only have powers
specifically granted to them by the
constitution and state laws
 Significant constitutional and/or
legislative change would be required in
order for the County to perform some of
these services
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Fiscal Challenges/Barriers
 Tax all property in Bexar County
 Tax rate increase of $0.1849 per $100
valuation
 Current tax rate is $0.32686 per $100
valuation
 Would bring total tax rate up to $0.5118
per $100 valuation
 City’s current tax rate is $0.56569 per $100
valuation
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Fiscal Challenges/Barriers
 Tax property in the unincorporated
area of Bexar County
 Tax rate increase of $1.2251 per $100
valuation
 Would bring total County tax rate up to
$1.552 per $100 valuation
 Constitutional Limit of $0.80 per $100
valuation
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Bottom Line
 County can’t legally perform many Citytype services
 No “home rule” or ordinance-making
authority
 County won’t be legally able to raise taxes
to fund this level of services
 Roll-back rate limitation of no more
than 8% annually
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Other Options Available to
Unincorporated Areas
 Pursue self-incorporation as new cities
 Creation of Special Districts
 Self-Assessments, Public Improvement
Districts, etc
 Annexation by the City of San Antonio (or
other incorporated cities)
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Demand for City-type
Services
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