The Katy City Council unanimously approved the city’s $28.5 million budget for fiscal year 2018-19 as well as the city’s property tax rate, which will remain unchanged from last year at $0.48672 per $100 valuation. For most homeowners within Katy city limits, property tax bills will remain the same for 2019. Homeowners will pay $486.72 per $100,000 in property value. Council Member Frank O. Carroll said he was pleased with the new budget, which will allow the city to hire seven new police officers. Carroll said he had the opportunity to speak with city staff, including Police Chief Bill Hastings. “What I learned was we had a population of approximately 11,000 folks back in 2000,” Carroll said. “Now we’ve got over 20,000 folks and the police have been given a 23 percent increase in staffing.” Carroll said that in 2000 the police department received about 9,650 calls, compared to responding to more than 34,000 calls in 2017. He said the investment in additional officers would help keep the city safe. In addition to the new officers, 12 other positions were approved, including three fire fighters and one fire investigator. A 3 percent cost of living pay increase was also included in the budget for city staff.