City Manager presents proposed Fiscal 2009 budget
City Manager presents proposed Fiscal 2009 budget
Written by Darcie Duttweiler Thursday, 24 July 2008
UPDATE (08/20/08): The council has decreased the proposed property tax to 40.12 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Austin City Manager Marc Ott presented the proposed Fiscal 2009 budget to members of the city council July 23. The council will review the proposed $2.8 billion with a series of sessions in August before final approval expected early September.
The budget will take effect Oct. 1. The budget responds to community priorities with increased funding for additional police officers, social services and transportation and infrastructure improvements.
“In the future, we will continue to face higher energy and labor costs, aging infrastructure, as well as mobility and air quality issues resulting from our rapid growth,” Ott said. “Ultimately, these fiscal challenges will require city management, the city council and citizens to engage in substantive discussions regarding revenue policy.”
The proposed budget calls for a 40.28-cent property tax rate per $100 assessed valuation, slightly lower than the current rate of 40.34 cents. This would make the city property tax rates for a $190,000 home (the projected median home value) of $764 per year.
While the budget proposal does not include an electric rate increase, Austinites will pay more for their water and trash. Austin Water Utility customers will have a seven percent increase in their monthly bills, which increase costs by $4.25 for the average customer (those who use 8,500 gallons a month).
Garbage fees will increase for the first time since 1997 and will be based on the size of the customer’s cart. The rates will be $4.40 more per month for a 30-gallon cart, $6.15 more for a 60-gallon cart and $6.90 more for a 90-gallon cart.
The general fund, which pays for many city services including police, parks and libraries, comprises $620.7 million of the proposed $2.8 billion budget, marking a 4.6 percent increase from last year.
The police department would receive 37.6 percent of the proposed budget, mostly due to personnel costs. The budget proposes an additional 24 officers to combat a rising population, which is estimated to grow by 12,000 this year, and a 2.5 percent wage increase for most city employees. Also, 61 police cars will be replaced.
To reallocate $420,000 of funding for security, custodial and maintenance services at the city’s libraries, the budget calls for closures at all branch libraries one day a week. These closures will be alternated on Thursdays and Fridays and pair locations in close proximity to each other to minimize the impact on library customers.
The council and Austin citizens can submit questions on the city’s website, and budget hearings will begin Aug. 7.
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