La Porte City Council on Monday voted 5-3, with Mayor Louis Rigby, Mike Clausen and Jay Martin opposed, to adopt the city’s FY2013 Budget with an amendment removing an increase in employee contributions to their health care insurance benefits.

The city council initially voted 4-4, with Daryl Leonard, John Zemanek, Dottie Kaminski and Tommy Moser opposed, to deny adoption of the budget as proposed.

The budget includes total expenditures in all funds of $72,407,884.

The city council voted unanimously to adopt a total 2012 property tax rate of $0.71 per $100 valuation, the same as the 2011 tax rate.  The rate is less than the city’s effective tax rate of $0.735 per $100 valuation, or the amount the city would need to levy to draw revenues equal to the previous fiscal year.

A total of $0.64 per $100 valuation will be used for general fund expenditures in the city, while the remaining $0.07 will be designated for payment on the city’s bonded indebtedness.

The city council voted unanimously to adopt the 2012 Appraisal Roll of the Harris County Appraisal District.

The total appraised value for property in La Porte was $2,543,250,893, with a total taxable value of $2,042,493,243.

The city council voted 5-3, with Leonard, Zemanek, and Kaminski opposed, to award a $233,920 contract to Camp’s Landscape Services for grounds maintenance services.

The city council voted unanimously to appoint Robert Eldridge as an alternate member of the Chapter 172 Employee Retiree Insurance and Benefits Committee.

The city council discussed, but took no action regarding fill dirt permit requirements within the development ordinance.

The city council discussed nominees for the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees, and directed staff to “vet” nominees for council to consider on September 24.

All other items were approved by unanimous vote.  Council Member Chuck Engelken was absent.  Agenda