The El Paso County Commissioners Court adopted a lower tax rate that could provide some relief for residents across the Borderland.
Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the "No-New-Revenue-Rate" of $0.451133 during a Monday, Aug. 17, meeting. The new tax rate is a 1.69% decrease from the previous rate of $0.458 used during fiscal year 2026. The 2026 fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 31.
Yet, the new rate does not mean that taxes will go down for homeowners, Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria, the county's budget director, explained.
She said that for homeowners who did not see their homes' value increase, there would be a savings of $17. But if the value of the home increased, then they would pay "a little bit more."
The "No-New-Revenue-Rate"
is meant to generate the same amount of property tax revenue for the county from properties taxed in both years, Arrieta-Candelaria said. The county was preparing the FY 2027 budget using the maximum voter-approved rate to allow for adjustments.
The new tax rate will go into effect at the start of fiscal year 2027 on Oct. 1.
El Pasoans speak out in opposition to new taxes
El Paso County residents were able to speak out in favor of or against the new tax rate during public comment held just after 5:30 p.m.
Three people came out to give heartfelt speeches pleading with the county not to raise taxes.
They pointed out that many of their neighborhoods still lack important services and sidewalks, while others pointed out that two members of the commissioners court, David Stout, Precinct 2, and Sergio Coronado, Precinct 4, were voted out in the March primaries over concerns about increasing commissioners' pay and property taxes.
Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@usatodayco.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County adopts lower tax rate but homeowners may still pay more
