The gist
During the meeting, the discussion focused upon the proposed fiscal year 2023-24 budget and five-year capital improvement program 2024-28, which included funds and forecasts for the city budget, according to detailed city documents.
The proposed budget for FY 2023-24 includes $288 million for operations and $65 million for capital projects. Additionally, the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program outlines a total investment of $291 million, with $65 million allocated for projects in FY 2023-24.
However, as of August, City Council members have not specified what those “capital projects” will be.
Only the first year of the capital improvement program would be funded in the annual budget, while the subsequent years are for planning purposes and are subject to change based on the available information at the time or the needs of the community, according to city officials' statements during the meeting.
The timeline
The proposed budget and capital improvement program will undergo further review through a series of workshops throughout August. Moreover, there will be a public hearing scheduled Aug. 15 where residents can provide their feedback on the proposed budget.
Another public hearing specifically addressing the proposed tax rate will take place Sept. 12. The final adoption of the budget and tax rate is slated for Sept. 19 to comply with the city charter standards, which requires the budget to be approved by Sept. 23, according to the city website.
Get involved
City Council encourages active citizen engagement in the budget review process. To address the council, residents must complete a request to speak form and submit it to the city secretary before the start of the meeting. Each speaker is limited to three minutes, with translations provided for speakers requiring a translator.
For more information about the proposed budget and supporting documentation, residents can visit the city's official website, www.sugarlandtx.gov, and access the meeting agendas.
