Huntsville City Council Starts Process That Could Raise Property Taxes

By Staff Writer

07-17-2025

Last night the Huntsville City Council passed a measure that could increase the City of Huntsville property taxes as much as 8 percent. The Texas Legislature capped cities from increasing property taxes by more than 3.5 percent. A loop hole is being used allowing cities in a Federal Disaster Zone to increase property taxes as much as 8 percent.

The Council passed a measure allowing the Walker County Appraisal District to calculate the Voter Approval Tax Rate with an 8 percent increase. While this isn’t an increase in taxes yet, this allows the process to start. The Council could vote on a measure to increase taxes as early as September 17th.

The council passed a spending measure to hire an attorney group that partners with other Texas cities to represent the city before the Texas Utility Commission regarding rate increases from Entergy Texas. The group employees attorneys and utility rate experts to represent cities to fight unwarranted rate increases.

During the budget session, the City Manager Aron Kulhavy layed out the existing budget City leaders are working on. The budget currently has a $2 million shortfall, down from the $10 million shortfall from an earlier proposed budget. The City departmental leaders will likely need to make further cutbacks.

The Council held a hearing on the latest planned 86 acre subdivision off of FM 247. The Council heard testimony from Armon Irones, Huntsville’s City Planner, along with managing partners Joshua Rinstein and Stefan Parade from SPJR Properties LLC, the projects developers. Questions were raised by council members about planned water shed and drainage issues.

SPJR will addresses the issues raised later in the city permitting process.

The City Council went into executive session and later emerged voting to approve a new contract with the City Manager Aron Kulhavy.