City & County

News from Plano and Collin County

Plano City Council approves $469 million budget with ease

City Council approved a $469 million operating budget for fiscal year 2014–15 at its Sept. 8 regular meeting that Mayor Harry LaRosiliere said will cause the new fiscal year to be "an even greater year."

The approved budget retained the tax rate at 48.86 cents per $100 valuation, which has remained the same since 2009–10, Plano Budget Director Karen Rhodes-Whitley said. City Council also ratified a tax revenue increase of 4.046 percent due to an increase in property revenue from the previous year.

The new budget allows for 39 new full-time positions within the city and a 3 percent salary increase for civil and noncivil service employees.

The budget includes a 10 percent monthly water rate increase and a 2.5 percent monthly wastewater treatment increase. The change is because of North Texas Municipal Water District project costs to construct a pipeline to move water from Lake Texoma to the Wylie treatment plant that prevents the spread of zebra mussels and get the water supply back online.

Before adjourning the meeting, LaRosiliere commented on the road infrastructure investment within the new budget adoption.

"One of the most exciting things to me is we've dedicated $57 million to our streets and roads," he said. "I think it's indicative of the reinvestment that we are making in our community."