The budget was approved at $1.69 billion, an effective 9.8% increase year over year.
The court unanimously approved the FY 2023-24 tax rate at $0.304655 per $100 valuation Sept. 19, which will increase taxes for an owner of an average-valued home by $86.18 annually due to rising home values. The average taxable property value in Travis County currently sits at $475,289.
The breakdown
Travis County’s FY 2023-24 budget includes funding for the following items:
- 4% across the board salary increase for Travis County employees
- $10 million to improve about 90 miles of substandard, unpaved roads throughout the county
- About $2.6 million for elections to improve ballot by mail and Americans with Disabilities Act access at polling locations
- $2 million to kick off the county’s mental health diversion center pilot program, which will bring arrested people with mental illness to a mental health facility instead of jail
- About $800,000 for the second year of the county’s jail-based intake program, which helps people exiting the jail stay connected to mental health services
- $250,000 for the Marshall Plan, a city and county initiative to support residents in eastern Travis County
- $575,000 for community members to advise the county on how to spend overdose prevention funds
- About $266,000 for wildlife management
- About $356,000 given to the city of Austin Animal Services for spay and neuter services
- $350,000 for an emergency action fund for overdose and suicide prevention
- About $100,000 to hire a special project worker that will distribute Narcan and other harm reduction materials, and give training on overdose prevention
