County sets tax rates for new year, urges EPA action

Pima County approved property tax rates Monday for the new fiscal year that are lower than this year’s.

But homeowners may not benefit from it, because property values were generally escalating when the most recent appraisals were being done.

Also Monday the supervisors approved a resolution asking that the Environmental Protection Agency be given protection of the Santa Cruz River.

As it turned out, that actually occurred about the time the supervisors were voting. EPA was in fact taking over protection of the river from the Army’s Corps of Engineers.

County taxes are what pays for Pima County’s nearly $4 hundred million annual spending for operations, libraries, flood protection, fire district support and debt service, such as bond payoffs.

The supervisors also approved all taxes for the school districts, fire districts, water conservation districts and more in the county totaling $1.1 billion. The districts actually set their own rates and the supervisors approved them in its tax levy and rate adoption package.

The county supervisors have been seeking stricter regulations to protect the Santa Cruz so it’s covered by the federal Clean Water Act. (See related story.)

The Corps of Engineers earlier declared parts of the river as “navigable” and as such, they’re subject to enforcement of the Clean Water Act.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D. Ariz., had pressed the EPA to take over the river’s supervision and late Monday said he was pleased with the action. “There’s no legitimate reason why the Clean Water Act should not apply to this river system.

On the county’s budget, its rate for 2008/09 for the general fund was lowered to $3.3913 per $100 of assessed valuation on property. Last year, it was $3.6020. The new rate is designed to raise $279,136,768.

The motion to approve also included approving tax rates and spending for the county free library district $32,555,365, debt service $58,048,912, flood control district $25,489,218 and fire district assistance tax $3,949,488

Jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749