FY 2023-24 budget, tax rate approved for city of Seguin
13 Dec 1901
City of Seguin, News
Seguin, TX, USA / Seguin Today
Darren Dunn
(Seguin) — The city of Seguin wrapped up its budget process during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Seguin City Council. The council approved the budget and tax rate for the new fiscal year, which begins on October 1.
City Manager Steve Parker says the budget calls for a tax rate of 51.25 cents per $100 of property valuation, which will cover general fund expenditures just shy of $50 million.
Parker says the budget addresses some needs in the city, while also reducing the overall tax rate, when compared to the current rate.
“The city is working really hard to be good stewards of our taxpayer’s money. We are excited that we are able to reduce the tax rate by a penny this year and hopefully that trend can continue as long as we start seeing the strong growth in sales tax that will happen. We never make any promises, but it is definitely a possibility or to add more services on with our existing taxes but this budget that is going to be before you and that will be funded by this $51.25 – it really focuses, I believe personally, the things cities should be focusing on – public safety, streets – we set a record this year for street maintenance – 13,200 tons of asphalt laid, some really great quality of life projects that we’ve put in the parks over the last couple of years – funding for staffing for a new fire station, new public safety officers, police officers, detectives to try to make some of those things happen that just should be the thing a city focuses on,” said Parker.
The council also approved the city’s utility fund budget. The proposed utility fund budget includes expenditures of $66 million, which is also about $6 million more than the previous year’s budget.
Parker says there are a number of improvements also included in the utility fund budget for next year.
“Continuing to work on funding on our utility system related to some big infrastructure projects taking over the Spring Hills service territory that we purchased this year. So, I’m really proud that we are able to do this. Our motto here is if we stay really lean, but we do compensate our employees well to get the best of the best then I think this team does a really great job of that and obviously you were part of this team and let us make this happen this year and we appreciate your trust and we will be good stewards of this money and we will make a lot of these things happen,” said Parker.
The utility fund budget is funded by electric, water and sewer customers in the city. The city was not recommending electric increase next year, but an increase in water and wastewater rates has been included in next year’s budget.
