Street improvements, sewer rehabilitation and comprehensive plan initiatives were all discussed in a budget meeting hosted by Jersey Village city staff July 20. Plans over the next few years will be shaped by Hwy. 290 construction and its effect on sales tax revenue, officials said.

“Sales tax should continue to grow in this next budget year, but we’re expecting it to take a hit in 2017 once active construction begins,” City Manager Mike Castro said.

Sales tax revenues varied from month to month throughout 2015 but overall trended upward, creating more revenue for the city than originally projected, Castro said. General fund revenue for the 2014-15 fiscal year are set to come in at about $12.1 million, which is roughly $1.4 million more than city staff planned for in last year’s budget talks.

Expenditures are projected at     $9.7 million, about $400,000 more than originally projected.

Staff is projecting $11.09 million in revenue for the 2015-16 fiscal year, with $9.48 in expenditures without supplemental projects. With all supplemental projects included—such as hiring a building inspector, introducing pool safety initiatives and funding traffic-calming studies—expenditures would rise to $10.27 million.

The property tax rate for residents will remain at 74.25 cents per $100 of valuation, Castro said.