City of Austin Approves $2.8 Billion Budget

The Austin City Council held an unusual Monday meeting today and unanimously approved a balanced $2.8 billion budget that will take effect on October 1.

A previously estimated $11 million to $28 million shortfall was made up in part by eliminating about 22 vacant positions in city offices and by cutting costs in what the council calls departmental "budget scrubbing."

Among the highlights from the approved budget, the city is adding an additional 48 police officers, 30 paramedics, and 10 firefighters. The council is also going forward with the no-kill plan for animal services, increasing staffing in the Planning and Development Review Department, and allocating an additional $500,000 to purchase library materials. However, $300,000 that would have funded the Trail of Lights is being reallocated to fund park maintenance instead of the city's annual holiday walk.

The new budget comes with increases in public service rates. Austin Energy customers will see their electric bill go up an average of 79 cents for residential customers. Residents who use 90-gallon garbage carts will have their bill increased by $1, but 60 and 30 gallon carts will remain the same. In addition, Austin Water customers will face an average increase of $3.84 to their bill.

In addition to approving the budget for Fiscal Year 2011, the city council held their first public tax rate hearing on a proposed property tax rate of 45.71 cents per $100 in assessed property value. Another public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on September 29. The council expects to adopt the new tax rate on September 30.

For a detailed look at the approved budget, visit the City of Austin's dedicated budget website.