Next year’s total budget of just under $62 million is $14 million more than last year and will allow for new fire and police personnel, parks and recreation projects, expanded drainage improvements and even a part-time curator for the Dan Moody Museum.
The proposed budget, which is not final, is $61,852,429, a 28% increase over last year’s budget of $48,128,891.
“This year we are in this position where we have put these master plans together, identified a lot of projects within those plans and identified several different funding sources that we have received,” said Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Wood during his initial budget presentation at the July 13 meeting of the City Council. “We have all these different plans and pieces and revenue sources and everything, so we felt that it was important to entitle this year’s budget ‘Putting the Pieces Together.’” Highlights of the proposed budget include: an 8% raise in water rates, but unchanged sewer rates, a 3% cost of living increase for city staff, more personnel, a rehabilitation of the airport apron, subsidies to help senior citizens and low-income households, new fleet vehicles and equipment, a new water supply evaluation, a new cemetery building, new park projects and much more.
Wood said funding sources will include federal grants, issued debt, a tax rate that generates substantial revenues, as well as large sales and use tax revenues coming in from the construction of Samsung Austing Semiconductor.
Budgeted property tax revenues are estimated to be about $8.2 million for general operations and $6.2 million to service debt, with a preliminary estimated tax rate between .62 and .66 cents, according to Wood.
“My hope as a finance director when this budget is presented you will feel it meets the goals you have set for us,” Wood said.
But not everyone is pleased with the preliminary planned increases.
“All department heads and all five of us have a wish list,” said At-large Councilman Dwayne Ariola. “My concern is for the citizens. I would prefer the tax rate go down some … Something has got to come off of this list. Whether it’s the departments’ lists or our lists, what is that? Just because our revenues are so much higher doesn’t mean you have to try and fix everything at once.”
Mayor Brandt Rydell said this was still early in the process.
“We have got aways to go here,” Rydell said. “If you have questions for Mr. Wood before at the workshop … we will work it all out.”
A workshop will be held July 25 for the City Council that will include a review of Capital Improvement Projects, officials said.
