Austin City Council approves 2012–13 budget, tax rate

"Those things making us a great city cost money," Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole said. "We simply can't have it both ways in providing these services, these needs, these major services and at the same time, cut taxes. So it's always a careful balancing act and I feel like we have tried to do that."

During their first day of discussion, the council voted down the mayor's amendment to cut the budget by more than $4.4 million in non–public safety departments. The council discussed other amendments to the budget, including amending the Austin Energy budget to increase funds for the solar rebate program by about $3.5 million, allocating funding for the River City Youth Foundation within social services contracts by about $73,000 and reducing the police overtime budget by about $200,000 to add funding to the Council for At Risk Youth.

The total amendments submitted by council members increased budget expenditures by about $1 million from the general fund resources and about $5 million in other operating funds. Mayor Leffingwell voted against many of the amendments because they used funds from the city's reserves.

Other items in the budget include funding for a short-term rental program in the code compliance department with three additional positions—about $352,000, funding for an innovation program so the city can develop ideas to improve service and a 3 percent wage increase for all employees.

"I think you've adopted a very responsible fiscal plan for 2013," City Manager Marc Ott told the council.