Hays County

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $178.4 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $0.4670 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $0.4690

Highlights: The fiscal year 2015-16 budget includes $500,000 for continued recovery efforts from the Memorial Day weekend flood and storms, although additional amounts may be allocated throughout the year to address recovery efforts. The budget also includes $250,000 for an ongoing study into a new jail facility. The county has also budgeted $150,000 for body cameras to be worn by law enforcement officers.

San Marcos

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $187.05 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $0.5302 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $0.5302

Highlights: The fiscal year 2015-16 budget is an 8.12 percent increase over the FY 2014-15 budget. This year’s budget provides funding for three new police personnel, additional park rangers and a city arborist, among other positions. The new budget also includes a city beautification fee, aimed at increasing mowing, litter pickup and downtown beautification as well as business improvement grants.

Kyle

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $80.1 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $0.5848 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $0.5383

Highlights: The fiscal year 2015-16 budget features the equivalent of 29.5 full-time positions, including nine additional police officers. Also budgeted is $100,000 to repair the historic red-white-and-blue downtown water tower, which features prominently in the city’s marketing materials. The budget also includes $500,000 for street maintenance.

Buda

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $29.21 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $0.3475 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $0.2978

Highlights: The fiscal year 2015-16 budget includes police captain and police clerk positions in the Buda Police Department. Police officers will receive a 4 percent increase in pay. Tourism and parks improvements feature in the budget, and a $3.4 million line item will go toward the construction of a water pipeline connecting the city’s water supply with that of Kyle.

Hays CISD

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $182.85 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $1.5377 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $1.5377

Highlights: The fiscal year 2015-16 budget includes about $1.54 million in employee pay increases. Teachers, nurses and librarians receive a 4.4 percent pay bump, which equates to $1,600 in addition to their regular annual pay raise. Counselors will receive 3.7 percent pay increases, which amounts to their annual raise plus $1,600. All other employee groups receive raises equal to 2 percent of their pay range midpoint.

San Marcos CISD

Approved fiscal year 2016 budget: $66.31 million Approved FY 2015-16 tax rate: $1.4141 FY 2014-15 tax rate: $1.4141

Highlights: In June the San Marcos CISD board of trustees approved a 3.8 percent raise for teachers, nurses and librarians; a 5 percent raise for hourly employees; and a 2.5 percent raise for administrative employees. Those raises are reflected in the fiscal year 2015-16 budget.