Live Oak City Council approves $38M budget for FY 2025-26

The FY 2025-26 budget will raise $462,825 more in property tax revenue than the previous year, an increase of 6.15%, according to the proposed budget.

Also of note

Director of Finance Leroy Kowalik told council during a July 22 budget workshop that personnel costs are just under 64% of general fund expenditures. The proposed budget included a 2.3% market adjustment raise for employees, and eligible employees are also proposed to receive a step increase of 2.5%.

Kowalik said staff health care costs will increase by 14.5% after working with a third-party benefit administrator to lower the increase. Kowalik also said the initial proposed rate increase from BlueCross BlueShield was 39%, and that the 14.5% increase is worth "not to have interruptions for our employees."

From the general fund, staff proposed a $300,000 transfer to continue funding for capital projects, including a recurring street repair program and upgrading a traffic signal at Toepperwein Road and Leafy Hollow. Another line item of note is an increase in contributions to Schertz EMS by 20% from FY 2024-25 to FY 2025-26.