City to Host Public Hearings on Proposed Tax Increase

The City of McAllen will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 4.20 percent (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or effective tax rate calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code). Your individual
taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.

The first public hearing will be held on August 31, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM
Place: McAllen City Hall, City Commission Chambers, 3rd Floor
1300 Houston Avenue

The second public hearing will be held on September 13, 2010
Time: 6:00 PM at
Place: McAllen City Hall, City Commission Chambers, 3rd Floor
1300 Houston Avenue

The members of the governing body voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase as follows:

FOR: Mayor Pro Tem Aida Ramirez
Commissioner Marcus C. Barrera
Commissioner Jim Darling 
Commissioner Scott Crane
Commissioner John Ingram

PRESENT AND NOT VOTING: None

AGAINST: None

ABSENT: Mayor Richard Cortez Mayor and Pro Tem Hilda Salinas

The average taxable value of a residence homestead in City of McAllen last year was $109,544. Based on last year's tax rate of $0.421300 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed last year on the average home was $461.51.

The average taxable value of a residence homestead in City of McAllen this year is $109,337. If the governing body adopts the effective tax rate for this year of $0.404311 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $442.06.

If the governing body adopts the proposed tax rate of $0.421300 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $460.64.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearings and express their views.

Parks & Recreation Hosts NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Competition

The McAllen Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting a local NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition on Saturday, September 25th, at Westside Park complex located at 1000 S. Ware Road in McAllen. Start time for the competition will be 10:00 a.m.

The NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick program is a skills competition for boys and girls aged 6 to 15 sponsored by the National Football League and Pepsi. Boys and Girls compete separately in five age divisions (6-7;8-9;10-11;12-13;14-15). There is no charge to compete and all participants will be recognized with a certificate of participation.

Local winners will advance to the Sectional Competition that will also be held at Westside Park on October 16th. Participants are required to bring a birth certificate for validation of age. For more information, you may call the Parks and Recreation Department at 681-3333.

Register on-line at:

http://www.nflppk.com/competitions/register/index/2029

or

Turn in the attached registration form the the Parks and Recreation Department Office located at 1000 S Ware Road.

PPK Entry Form 2010.pdf

2010 Punt Pass Kick Flyer.pdf

Fall Adult League Registration Now Available

Adult league registration is currently available for the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department’s fall 2010 season. Teams can register for basketball, flag football, indoor volleyball, kickball and softball. Game days and times vary by sport. Registration is available at the Parks & Recreation Office at 1000 S Ware Road. For more information, please call 681-3333.

Registration for Fall Recreation Programs Now Available

The Parks and Recreation Department has officially kicked off registration for the Fall 2010 Recreation Programs. Brochures are available at the Parks and Recreation Department, all three Community Centers, Quinta Mazatlan, City Hall, McAllen Memorial Library and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. Fall brochures will also be delivered to McAllen residences via the Town Crier newspaper on Wednesday, August 25th.

The Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to offer some new and exciting programs this fall. New programs for Fall 2010 include Teen Thursdays, Maybe Someday classes, Salsa Dancing, and Football Skills & Drills. Popular returning programs include the Gus & Goldie Learn-to-Swim Program, Ballet, International Friendship Run, Supervised Playground Program, Folklorico, and many more. Please see the official fall brochure for a complete list of classes.

Classes begin September 13, 2010.

Walk-in registration will be accepted at:

• Lark Community Center - 2601 Lark Avenue - 681-3340
• Las Palmas Community Center - 1921 N. 25th Street - 681-3350
• Palm View Community Center - 3401 Jordan Avenue - 681-3360

Mail-in registration will be accepted at:
McAllen Parks and Recreation
P.O. Box 220
McAllen, TX 78505

Fall 2010 Programs Brochure.pdf

Online registration is available through https://webtrac.mcallen.net/ You must create a username and password, as well as enter all pertinent household information before the website will allow you to register online. Online registration payments must be made with a Visa or Mastercard.

For more information, please contact Parks and Recreation at (956) 681-3333.

Mayor Releases Statement, Requests Special Election

McAllen Mayor Richard F. Cortez released the following statement, Thursday, August 19, 2010:

“I wish to thank all our citizens and other interested individuals who attended and participated in the session I presented this Tuesday at the McAllen Convention Center. There, I discussed our City’s present financial position and strategies to improve our revenues and expand our sports athletic facilities.

In our next City Commission meeting on Monday, August 23, 2010, at 4:00 p.m., there will be an agenda item to discuss whether we wish to call a Special Election for November 2, 2010 regarding a proposed Sports Athletic Facilities and Tennis Center and authorizing the sale of Westside Park.

After reviewing the results of our survey, I will recommend to the City Commission that we only consider an election authorizing the sale of General Obligation bonds for the purpose of acquiring land and building sports athletic facilities.

I will recommend that we not place the sale of Westside Park on the Special Election and will further recommend that we partner with Valley Land Fund to assist us with the development of a plan to improve McAllen Botanical Gardens.”