It is the first public meeting the city has held on the budget, with more meetings to come over the course of July and August.
What you need to know
The estimated property tax rate for fiscal year 2024-25 is $0.373 for taxable values preliminarily estimated at $13.45 billion, according to a city staff presentation.
Proposed expenditures for fiscal year 2024-25 are around $187.5 million, which is 8.8% more than the year-end estimate for fiscal year 2023-24’s expenditures. The biggest expenditure increase was personnel costs, according to city documents.Certified property tax values and the official non-new-revenue tax rate will be available to city officials at the end of July, according to city documents.
The fiscal year 2024-25 budget will not be finalized until September, and city officials plan to spend the upcoming weeks reviewing, proposing changes and receiving input from residents at several public meetings scheduled in July and August.
Diving in deeper
This year, League City is estimating that it will collect less in property taxes due to the fact that it will be able to collect property and utility revenue from new residents.
League City is predicting 1,000 new homes in 2025, City Manager John Baumgartner said.
The city’s second TIRZ, which is at Saddle Creek Ranch, closed in 2023 too and contributes to the revenue loss. That would have brought in $330,000 in revenue, assistant city manager Angie Steelman said.
League City is predicting 1,000 new homes in 2025, City Manager John Baumgartner said.
Council Member Andy Mann asked how the city’s sales tax, the second largest source of revenue for the general fund, could increase consistently year-over-year while the city’s annual budget didn’t change.
“It seems like the first time I was on council, [sales tax] was $10 million, and now, it’s what, $30 million?” Mann said. “I’m trying to understand, how can we keep growing this organization and coming in under budget every year?”
Baumgartner attributed the budget growth to inflation and building new homes in the city.
Looking ahead
Community Impact previously reported that the July 23 workshop was the first of four to discuss the new budget, according to the city's website. The other three are:
- July 30 at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W. Walker St., League City
- Aug. 6 at City Council Chambers, which will also be the first public hearing for the budget, 200 W. Walker St., League City
- Aug. 13 at City Council Chambers
