The agreement between the city and the San Marcos Professional Firefighters Association-Local 3963 is good for one fiscal year, or through September 2023.
“I really appreciate the firefighters association stepping up and working with staff to accept this 2%,” Council Member Maxfield Baker said. “And then recognize that, you know, as we rebound through COVID[-19], our budget will hopefully allow us to take better care of our civil service employees.”
Council also unanimously passed amendments clarifying criteria for low-income housing tax credits.
The Workforce Housing Committee put forward support for changes Sept. 29 to clarify what criteria a housing developer must follow to qualify for low-income housing tax exemptions. Among the changes is an increase from 10% to 25% of a development as the minimum number of housing units considered affordable for households at or below 30% of area median income.
The developer must also present an estimate of tax revenues the city will not receive annually over the lifetime of the project and provide a plan for placing the property back on the tax roll if necessitated in the future.
Council tabled discussions for a future meeting on Robert’s Rules of Order during council meetings, City Council rules of decorum and whether members must be present on the dais during council meetings. Council members can opt to video conference into council meetings, and most city staff do so, though the number of council members that do so began to diminish in the past three months.