With budget season in full swing, Missouri City officials announced the transition to a more transparent budgeting process at a June 24 special City Council meeting.

The overview

The city of Missouri City will implement program-based budgeting, a system focused on city programs and services, for the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25 budget cycle. Through program-based budgeting, city officials said they hope to:

• Increase transparency
• Provide accountability
• Encourage data-driven decisions

To better understand what money is being spent on, the program-based budgeting approach further breaks down departments into services and programs, said Bertha Alexander, Missouri City chief budget and performance officer, in an email.

“Under program budgeting, instead of looking at line items by departments, the priority is placed on evaluating the programs, the costs of the programs and how they align with the community priorities,” Alexander said. “Allocation decisions will be made based on the services and programs, and not departments.”

A closer look

At the June 24 meeting, staff from each department in the city presented their top priorities, which will help city staff determine what is needed.

For a full list of priorities submitted, click here.

Looking back

Prior to the FY 2024-25 budget cycle, the city used incrementing budgeting, which takes the previous year’s budget as a guide for building the new year’s budget with needed adjustments, Alexander said.

The incrementing budgeting process focused on big-picture departments and divisions rather than specific city programs.

What else?

In addition to the switch in budgeting processes, City Manager Angel Jones looks to hire management advisory consultant Public Sector Solutions of Texas LLC, which will review the executive level and organizational structure of the city.

City Council approved the contract at a July 1 meeting. Although this won’t be completed by the approval of this year’s budget, it will help to influence future city functions, Jones said.

Looking ahead

Missouri City City Council is set to adopt the FY 2024-25 budget and property tax rate on Sept. 16, according to agenda documents.

Other important budget dates include:

• Aug. 5: Presentation of proposed FY 2024-25 budget (video form)
• Aug. 19: Presentation of certified tax rolls; council discussion and approval of maximum proposed tax rate
• Aug. 23: City manager submits and files proposed FY 2024-25 budget; proposed budget is posted on city website
• Sept. 16: Budget and property tax public hearings