Keller approves budget, tax rate for fiscal year 2022-23

The city of Keller approved its annual budget and property tax rate for fiscal year 2022-23 at a recent meeting.

The budget went into effect Oct. 1 and was approved during the Sept. 20 meeting at Keller Town Hall. The budget is $103 million, a 1.23% increase from FY 2021-22, and it was approved by an unanimous vote. A bulk of the budget is $45 million in the general fund and $28.8 million for the water and wastewater fund. The general fund covers salaries, public safety, public works, parks and recreation, community development and the Keller Public Library, documents show.

The approved property tax rate is $0.3545 per $100 valuation, the seventh year in a row the property tax rate has dropped. Compared to last year, the tax will bring in $189,763 more in the upcoming fiscal year. Documents at the meeting showed the average taxable home in Keller is valued at $387,603, but the average home tax bill will remain on average $1,374 a year.

Keller Director of Administrative Services Aaron Rector noted there are more than $30 million in capital improvements for FY 2022-23. Street projects tally $17 million of that with $11 million for water and sewer projects and a little more than $2 million for parks and recreation projects.

The Old Town Keller East/Elm Street project, the State Water Implementation Fund and Mt. Gilead Road reconstruction are all projects in excess of $4 million each

Some of the other capital projects include the installation of smart meters, wastewater line realignment on Pearl Street, a new concept plan for Northeast Park, a Town Center Park playground replacement, a trail expansion, a sidewalk maintenance, Bear Creek bridge erosion, pickleball courts at Bear Creek Park and the Whitley Road overlay.

Mayor Armin Mizani said the city will spend more than $330,000 on trail expansion, and there will be a 10% bump in funding for the project every year to follow. There are 26 miles of trails with a goal of reaching 48 miles in the future. A 2022 citizen survey showed the trails system was the highest-ranked amenity in Keller, according to the presentation.