OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7TH
AT VICTORIA FIRE AND WATER
It is one long and large, wide and windowed building that houses both Victoria Fire Station No. 1 and the Victoria Water Treatment Plant.  That's a lot of syllables and space to use every time someone describes or refers to it.  Photographed above, at the entrance to the Victoria Fire Station, is a distinctive monument that identifies historical names connected to the Victoria Fire Department.   Bruce Osborn, Public Works Director for the City of Victoria, conducted a tour of Victoria's newest building on Thursday afternoon, August 10^th, for city councilmembers.  The water treatment plant is now up and running as it filters and treats all of Victoria's municipal water from three different wells.
A Grand Open House for the facility is scheduled for Saturday, October 7^th, the start of Fire Prevention Week.  The 9,000 square foot Victoria Water Treatment Plant is connected -- via a newly constructed 3,300 square foot fire apparatus bay -- to the 6,600 square foot Victoria Fire Station.  In addition to all of the above, there is an underground 3,500 square foot 613,000 gallon storage tank.
At the Open House on October 7^th you have the opportunity to see it up close and touch many important Victoria names, graved in marble.

PRELIMINARY 2007 VICTORIA CITY BUDGET
ANTICIPATING FEWER NEW HOMES
Victoria councilmembers reviewed the preliminary 2007 Victoria City Budget at a workshop on August 10^th and approved it on August 24^th. 
The preliminary General Fund Oper-ating Budget for calendar year 2007 is 11.2% higher than 2006.  Total expendi-tures and revenues projected in the budget for 2006 amounted to $3,297,454.82.  They are projected at $3,667,634 for '07.
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn about the preliminary 2007 Victoria City Budget, "What you see here is the culmination of more than 10 hours of Finance Committee meetings.  This is the first meeting with full council.  This is what has evolved."
The Finance Committee includes Mayor Jerry Bohn, Councilmember Kim Roden, Administrator Dave Urbia, and resident at large Scott Manion. 
There are budget considerations, or concerns, this year because, as Mayor Jerry Bohn pointed out, "We're building a lot fewer homes and besides that they're building more townhomes."
Property taxes on homes, as well as fees for building permits, bring in the major portion of revenue for the City of Victoria which is why the number of homes under construction is a big budget factor.  At this time there are only 50 new homes being built in Victoria year to date, but revenue was based on 150 new homes being constructed on an annual basis.
Also, townhomes are often valued lower than single family homes so bring in fewer taxes.  Stated Mayor Bohn, "We're losing in a couple different ways."
He also pointed out, "A plan check fee is charged for the inspection depart-ment to review the construction drawings.  Usually townhomes only have a few floor plans so, for example, the builder can build 50 townhomes and only have four floor plans so will only have to pay for four plan check fees.  On custom homes, each house has to pay a plan check fee."
The mayor reminded councilmembers that last year they looked at a city tax decrease from 2005 to 2006.  Even with the county's increase in property valu-ations last year, Victoria residents saw a decrease in the city tax portion of their property taxes.  In addition to city tax, the annual property tax statement includes county, school, and metro taxes.
With the new budget, city taxes on a home in Victoria will be the same in '07 as the city taxes paid in '06 if the market value of that home remains the same. 

Click here to continue 2007 Victoria Budget.