During a special meeting on Sept. 20, Cibolo City Council members approved the fiscal 2021-22 budget in a 4-2 vote alongside a unanimous vote to set the property tax rate.
The property tax rate equals the 2021 rate of $0.4835, which exceeds the no new revenue rate of $0.4563. Sales tax projections for the 2021-22 fiscal year are estimated at over $3.3 million, a 13% increase over the previous fiscal year. The average homestead property value increased by 6.9%, moving from $255,166 to $272,847 in the fiscal year 2020-21.
Both District 5 Representative Mark Allen and District 7 Representative Joel Hicks felt that the Special Events budget was too high to be approved, leading to their decision to vote against the budget.
According to Hicks, the budgeted money should instead go into future city expenses and projects.
“The budget before us is adding $230,000 to Cibolofest,” Hicks said, “so, I am asking tonight to adjust it back to the current 2021 budget.”
District 2 representative Stephen Quinn explained that the money in the Special Events budget is not a final expense, and any money not spent in that budget will return to the general fund.
“Y’all are falling on the sword over something that is not even projected to probably be spent,” Quinn said in the meeting. “It is just budgeted. So, if they don’t spend it, guess what, guess where it goes back to? It goes back to the general fund.”
City Manager Wayne Reed ensured the council that the city has the funds to address issues brought up in Hicks’ concerns.
Overall, the 2021-22 General Fund is set to have $17 million in expenses, up from $14.7 million. Major expenses in the general fund include opening Fire Station Number 3, the City Hall Annex and 9.5 new positions under city staffing. Debt service revenue also increased to $5.4 million from $4.9 million the previous year.
