After making a few changes to the proposed budget, the board of aldermen of the Village of San Leanna unanimously adopted its 2013–14 budget and tax rate at its Sept. 19 meeting.
The village, which includes 217 homes, will maintain its current tax rate of $0.2498 per $100 of taxable value, just under the cap placed upon San Leanna because the type of city it is, Mayor Betty Korts said. The city expects the tax rate will raise 4.71 percent more total property taxes than last year's budget as a result of higher appraisal values and new properties.
The budget
The approved general fund budget projects $182,526.24 in revenues, down from $224,349.50 in the current budget, and $172,801 in expenditures, down from $179,959 in the current budget.
The village receives revenue from property taxes, local transportation authority Capital Metro, franchise taxes, interest, building permits, community center rent and reserves, as well as miscellaneous sources, according to budget documents.
San Leanna's largest expenditures will be road improvements ($66,207), secretary expenses ($29,478), tree projects including paying the city's arborist ($11,285), flood prevention ($7,000), and road maintenance ($6,700).
The board made two changes to the initial proposed general fund budget; it approved the addition of $1,500 from the surplus to pay for repairs and maintenance of the community center and the addition of $10,000 from its surplus to the public safety fund.
Focusing on security
During citizens communication, former mayor Jim Payne had suggested adding $25,000 to the public safety budget, citing a series of break-ins and "smash-and-grabs" during the past few years. Payne advised the city could introduce cars labeled "San Leanna patrol" or "deputy sheriff" to drive by local properties in an effort to deter criminals.
Resident Fred Helmerichs said that as a victim of a break-in himself, he would support such a move.
"I, too, think it's beyond time to address this in a meaningful way, and that means money," he said, adding that he did not think other measures such as adding streetlights and signage would solve the problem.
Public Safety Commissioner Elaine Voeltz said while she was not opposed to spending some additional funds on safety, she did not agree with the suggested $25,000 figure. She said she thinks a neighborhood presence that works together is the best deterrent.
"If I thought $25,000 would work, I'd spend it in a nanosecond. But there's absolutely no proof and there's no way to validate whether or not somebody driving through your neighborhood five hours a week is going to deter your crime, and we don't have enough crime right now to deter," she said.
Molly Quirk, public affairs, suggested organizing a Yard of the Month club to encourage residents to improve the neighborhood aesthetic, which some attendees suggested might also deter crime.
More information is available at www.sanleannatx.com.
