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The Stafford City Council this week rejected a bill that would allow it to put a property tax on the ballot in November. The city has not collected a property tax in nearly 30 years.

During an often heated meeting, Stafford City Council members debated the need for a property tax. Mayor Ken Mathew pointed to the city’s treasury balance as evidence that a property tax is not necessary. He said the city’s treasury balance is $14.5 million in 2021 and will grow to $25 million in 2023.

“That’s the financial situation,” he said. “The city is not broke. And I’m absolutely against charging people for this.”

But Council Member Tim Wood said the bulk of that money comes from the city’s economic development fund – which can only be used for economic development and cannot be used for city services such as fire or police. In 2021, about $13 million of the $14.5 million fund balance cited by the mayor was in the economic development fund, Wood said.

Wood said the city needs to look at other numbers.

“Does the city’s revenue cover its expenses?” he asked. “And the answer is no.”

Many community members expressed their opinion. Several said the city should put a property tax to a vote and let the citizens decide.

Four city council members voted to increase the tax rate from 0 cents to 29 cents per $100 of property value. However, five votes – a two-thirds majority – were needed to pass the measure.

Since the increase in the tax rate failed, the members of the city council were unable to put the introduction of a property tax to a vote.

After the measure was rejected, some city employees expressed frustration over the lack of funding for their departments.

Police Chief Richard Ramirez said his department only has five patrol cars available because others need repairs.

“We are in a critical situation,” he said. “I have come up here to tell you this so that you are aware of it.”

Fire Chief Larry DiCamillo said his department has been unable to purchase potentially life-saving equipment to protect its firefighters.

“We called for responsible action to make up for the last five years of the most prehistoric budget process that existed even before Covid,” he said. “Covid has only made it worse.”

The city must now adopt a revised budget by the end of September.