“This budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $293,378 or 7.881%, and of that amount $12,226 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.”
The FY 2023 City budget for Castle Hills has been proposed at $7.5 million dollars, which is slight increase from the FY 2022 Adopted Budget, roughly 1.14%. The proposed tax rate is $0.522544 per $100 of valuation, which is the Voter Approved Tax Rate.
Castle Hills fiscal year is from January 1 through December 31, so prior to each fiscal year the city council approves an operating budget that projects the collection of revenue and guides spending for the coming year.
The General Fund is the largest fund for the City and accounts for the general service and operations (police, fire, Municipal court, permitting/planning, public works, and administration) are budgeted. All City employee salaries are funded out of the General Fund. The proposed General Fund revenue budget totals $7,557,743 million and the expenses budget totals $7,557,743 million.
Here’s a breakdown of the Proposed $7.5 Million Budget:
Castle Hills Fire
$2 million
Castle Hills Police
$2.8 million
Public Works (Streets and Sanitation)
$1 million
General Administration includes (City Manager, Finance, Municipal Court, Code Compliance and Permitting Office)
$1.4 million
Capital Expenditures
$210,000
The remaining areas of the budget include:
Contingency Fund Major Vehicle/Equipment fund
$439,057
Street and Drainage Funds Combined
$2.8 million
Debt Service fund
$217,475
Proposed FY 2023:
- Street Maintenance - $175,000
- Drainage Utility Fund – Debt Payment - $289,338
Current projects under consideration for funding in FY 2023 are as followed:
- Mimosa/Krameria to West Avenue Drainage project (Watershed II) (Engineering/Design Complete) – Possible to due Phase I
- Street Maintenance – Seal Coat Project – Street (Continue with the current Street Maintenance Program)
Capital Projects FY 2023:
- The City has identified 12 streets for reconstruction and 4 drainage projects in different watersheds – Street Reconstruction ($3.M) and Drainage Project ($3.M). Funding is required for these future projects.
Budget Highlights (Capital Expenses):
- $10,000 set aside for future Rescue Truck
- $20,000 set aside for future Fire Vehicle
- $50,000 set aside for future Public Works Vehicle
- $15,000 set aside for future Fire – SCBA
- Platform Fire Truck payment – Principal payment of $82,865 and Interest payment of $4,700.
- No change in cost to the Employee Health Plan
- $34,000 set aside for Phase III Renovations to the Fire Department Facility (ARPA Funds) (Non-General Fund)
- $100,000 set aside for Common Improvements (ARPA Funds) (Non-General Fund)
Now that the 2023 proposed budget has been delivered to City Council, the City will hold public hearings for community feedback on the proposed budget and tax rate. The public hearings for both the proposed budget and tax rate will be held on September 6, 2022 at 6:30 pm in the City Council Chambers, 209 Lemonwood.
The City Council is expected to vote on the FY 23 Proposed Budget on September 13 Regular City Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
For more information on the proposed budget, please visit the City of Castle Hills website at cityofcastlehills.com.