CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin & Travis & Williamson counties
CITY HIGHLIGHTS WILLIAMSON COUNTY Commissioners agreed to set aside $1.3 million in the upcoming budget for scal year 2022- 23 for an assessment of the county’s law enforcement and corrections o cers’ pay to bring it up to par with the market and to help the county retain o cers. Implementation of the study is expected in February, giving o cers 14% in additional pay about halfway through FY 2022-23 instead of the 5%-7% initially discussed in June. Austin City Council meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., Austin. 512-974-2250. www.austintexas.gov/department/ city-council Travis County Commissioners Court meets Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at the Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-9020. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court meets Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER
Austin housing bond advances AUSTIN On Aug. 18, council voted 10-1 to added a $350 million housing bond proposition to Austin’s Novem- ber election ballot. A $350 million bond would raise the scal year 2022-23 property tax rate by $0.0132 per $100 property valuation, a 2.85% increase. That would amount to $47.91 a year for the median property taxpayer. Bond funds would back both rental and ownership housing projects, home repairs and land acquisition. BY DARCY SPRAGUE & BEN THOMPSON
tax rate of $0.4627 per $100 valuation, which is lower than 2021-22's rate of $0.541 3.5% increase in revenue to the city due to higher property values 3.8% increase to homeowners due to higher property values and fees for city services
COST TO TAXPAYERS While council lowered the tax rate, the average taxpayer will send the city more money each month. SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
City passes record $5B budget
BY DARCY SPRAGUE
a mid-year budget item if addi- tional funding is needed. An item to increase council salaries 40% from $83,158 to $116,688 and the mayor’s more than 37% from $97,656 to $134,191 also passed. The item will cost $395,693. Council members Kelly, Vanessa Fuentes and Paige Ellis objected to the amendment. The council passed a tax rate of $0.4627 per $100 of property valuation on the same 10-1 ratio. The rate is lower than the current $0.541. Due to increased property values, the rate will bring the city roughly a 3.5% increase in revenue.
AUSTIN On Aug. 18, Austin City Council approved a $5 billion budget for scal year 2022-23. The main budget was approved on a 10-1 vote with Council Member Mackenzie Kelly voting against it. The budget included a 4% raise across the board for all sta , and council members voted to increase the sta minimum wage from $15 to $20 an hour. Council allocated roughly $7 million for the move, which also includes addressing compression in salary ranges with the under- standing that sta could introduce
Housing bond cost
Amounts below are based on the
median taxable
value of homes.
Without housing bond: $0.4627 $1,679.52
With housing bond: $0.4759 $1,727.43
(tax rate per $100 valuation)
(cost to median taxpayer)
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2022
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