Here is a recap of what was featured in the Wednesday, Nov. 23, e-edition of the Taylor Press. The e-edition is emailed to subscribers and available at www. taylorpress.net.
SAMSUNG: YEAR 1
After one year of Samsung’s presence in Taylor, the city has concrete evidence of a significant upswing in revenue coming into its coffers, and other economic benefits.
“When Samsung announced the selection of Taylor as the site for its new semiconductor fabrication plant, the council understood it represented a transformative event in the history of our city,” said Mayor Brandt Rydell, who was instrumental in bringing the chip manufacturer to Taylor. “Even though these are still early days for Samsung in Taylor, we are already seeing incredible benefit from its presence in our community.”
Last week, the municipality released the actual and cumulative sales tax numbers for the month of November, and they reportedly show a 113% increase in the sales and use tax revenue over November of 2021, and a 46% increase of cumulative sales and use tax revenue for the year over where the city was at this time last year.
“The sales and use tax revenue reported for the city in November 2022 was $1,242,415, which is an increase of more than $660,000,” said city spokesperson Stacey Osborne. “The cumulative sales and use tax revenue thus far in n 2022 is $8,055,460, over $2.5 million more than the same time in 2021.”
Osborne said this kind of increase in revenue can help lower taxes in other areas as well.
Industry leaders say the effect of an investment of this size is just the beginning of an upward cycle of growth for our area overall, due to the new jobs and other investments.
Taylor echoed that Samsung is here to stay.
“We are proud to be a part of the Taylor community and we will continue to build upon the relationships that we have formed over the past year,” Taylor said.
CITY TEAMS WITH CHURCH TO PROVIDE WARM THANKSGIVING MEALS
Congregants from Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church joined forces with local leaders, including Mayor Brandt Rydell, the Taylor Fire and Police departments and other city employees, Saturday, Nov. 19 at their place of worship, at 612 E Walnut St., to volunteer to host their annual Thanksgiving meal for area residents in need.
This was the 11th year of hosting this event, which has fed upwards of 700 people in the community in past years.
Prior to the event, the main hall was filled with people working after 10 a.m., from members of the fire department putting labels on trays, to District 4 City Councilman Robert Garcia and City Manager Brian LaBorde teaming up to pour the Thanksgiving fixings into aluminum catering trays.
HUTTO CHECK REGISTER NOW ONLINE
HUTTO - Curious locals and community activists who want to know how much the city spends on its coffee service or how much is being paid to a certain supplier now have an easy way to find out.
Hutto has put their check register online so that anyone who is interested can see where taxpayer funds are going.
Hutto’s City Manager James Earp announced the change at the Nov.
17 City Council meeting.
T he check register is a record of payments made by the City of Hutto either by check, electronic funds transfer or bank draft.
The register is sorted by week and then alphabetized within each week. The register includes the payment types, payment amounts and payees’ names.
To find the document, visit the city’s webpage at huttotx. gov. In the upper right search box, type the phrase: check registers.
This will bring up a listing that includes the Check Registers file.
Allison Strupeck, public information officer, said that anyone having questions about the register should email the communications department at huttocom@ huttotx.gov and they will work with the finance team to get any information requested.
Congregants Nell Shaw, wearing the favorite hat of her late husband, takes a break with Bernice Seamster at the Nov. 19 Thanksgiving meal event.
Photo by Nicole Lessin
