The overview
The FY 2024-25 budget includes a $1.67 billion general fund, a $1.4 billion restricted fund, an $860 million capital budget, $147 million in property tax relief, 3% cost of living adjustment for city employees, a 7% raise for firefighters and a 4% raise for police officers.
The $3.96 billion budget invests in multiple areas that residents identified as priorities like homelessness, animal care services, streets and sidewalks and public safety.
According to the city news release, officials also shaped the budget to conform to the city’s two-year budget plan, which maintains a minimum 15% general fund ending balance and keeps public safety expenditures below 66%.
District 3 council member Phyllis Viagran said a major priority of the budget is to preserve and maintain the character of San Antonio, and this budget reflects the city council’s desire to create a thriving city that meets the needs of all residents.
District 8 council member said the budget is written evidence of city staff’s conscience and values.
District 6 council member Melissa Cabello Havrda said the engagement of San Antonians with the budget process over the last five months has been phenomenal.
Sorting out details
The FY 2024-25 budget significantly invests in overall quality of life improvements for San Antonio residents.
The budget for street projects and maintenance increased by $6 million to $122 million for the completion of 1,618 projects and maintenance for 30 miles of roads. The city also invested $21.5 million for 28.9 miles of new sidewalks and 15.7 miles of sidewalk repairs.
To combat homelessness, the budget invested $44.2 million in homeless services. The funding will directly invest in sheltering 500 people and cleaning up 1,300 homeless encampments within 14 days of notification. An additional $35.5 million is earmarked for affordable housing, including home rehabilitation and repair, rental assistance, and down payment assistance. The proposed budget also continues the Strategic Housing Implementation Plan, which invests in building 11,238 homes.
Additionally, the budget funds an expansion for animal care services as part of a multi-year plan to respond to 100% of critical calls by 2026. The proposed budget includes 14 new animal care positions to address critical calls and 21 positions to operate two new spay/neuter clinics, enabling 41,170 spay and neuter surgeries.
The general fund has a $1 billion budget for public safety. The budget includes $6.3 million to add an additional 65 police officers, $1.4 million for 15 new firefighters and $15.4 million to complete the replacement of three fire stations.
Additionally, the budget includes a capital plan for the development of a new terminal at San Antonio International Airport, with $1.6 billion allocated over six years. Another $125 million is earmarked for a large airport parking garage, a ground transportation center for rideshare services, taxis, VIA Metropolitan Transit bus connections and hotel shuttles.
What’s next?
The proposed FY 2024-25 budget will take effect Oct. 1.
