The big picture
On Aug. 8, League City hosted the first public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 budget, which begins Oct. 1. No one from the public spoke during the hearing.
According to budget documents, the budget includes $177.86 million in operating expenses—a $4.92 million increase from the amended FY 2022-23 operating budget of $172.94 million.
Contributing to the increased budget are:
- 2.5% merit and 2.5% cost-of-living raises for civilian employees
- 4% cost-of-living and other raises for police officers
- Raises for nonseasonal employees to $16 an hour
- An expected increase of $541,366 in solid waste costs due to increased service costs and growth in the number of residences serviced
- Five new vehicles
- 12 new full-time positions
- Anticipated increases in property, windstorm and other insurances
Assistant City Manager Angie Steelman said the actual budget will shift slightly due to requests council members gave during recent budget workshops. Those changes will be reflected in the first of two readings to approve the budget, scheduled for Aug. 22.
A closer look
The capital budget for FY 2023-24 is $153.34 million for 70 projects. In FY 2022-23, the capital budget was originally $148.25 million.
The money will go to the following projects, among others:
- $81.85 million for street projects, including $72.88 to extend North Landing Boulevard
- $33.33 for ongoing drainage projects
- $12.43 million in reinvestment into sidewalks, traffic signals, roads and facilities
- $8.63 million to rehabilitate the sanitary sewer system
- $8.07 million for 12 parks projects, such as trail construction
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“While new properties are estimated to generate property tax revenue of $630,000, the reduction in the tax rate below the no-new-revenue rate nets an overall decrease of $250,500 in revenue when compared to [FY 2022-23],” the documents read.
Items worth mentioning
On Aug. 8, council also approved the second reading of a new ordinance related to peddlers and solicitors.
Under the new rules, solicitors can't go door to door after sunset or 7 p.m.—whichever is earlier—and must undergo a form of online training, among other changes. The city has been having trouble recently with solicitors who have gotten aggressive with residents, and the ordinance is an attempt to quell such behavior, council members said.
What happens next?
A second public hearing and the first reading to approve the budget will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 at council chambers, 200 W. Walker St., League City. The budget and tax rate are scheduled for final approval on Sept. 12.
