It is budget development time in San Antonio once again. On Wednesday, Mayor Nirenberg and members of City Council sat down for eight hours to hash out budget priorities of the FY19 Budget. The goal of the meeting was for the Mayor and City Council to provide policy direction to city staff as they develop the framework for the FY19 Operating and Capital Budget.
Much of the discussion surrounded affordable housing initiatives. Local housing costs continue to escalate faster than incomes and can affect our quality of life and economic competitiveness. The Chamber has been actively involved in Mayor Nirenberg’s Housing Policy Task Force meetings and a member of the technical working group on Removing Barriers to Housing Affordability and Supply. A presentation on the findings will be given at B Session on June 20, and a formal policy recommendation is expected to be released in coming weeks.
Other topics discussed included increasing funding for streets, sidewalks and animal care services, three service areas where residents would like to see an increase in funding. Based on the City of San Antonio (COSA) General Fund FY 2018 “six plus six projections,” the City’s General Fund will have $13.3 million more than in FY18, or 1% of the General Fund Budget. There was consensus among council members to use $11 million of the $13 million toward the $110 million street maintenance budget council approved last year.
A 5 percent local homestead tax exemption was discussed but was one of the topics that did not receive enough support from council members for city officials to move forward with. A proposed budget will be presented to City Council in August.
This spring, the City of San Antonio officially kicked off its fourth annual “Speak Up SA” campaign, which seeks public input on how COSA should spend its money in FY 19. While the survey closed on May 12, there are still many ways to ensure your voice is heard. The City has set up its budget input box where you can submit suggestions on how the City of San Antonio can save money or improve City services. The budget input box can be found online or at various locations all across the city. The City of San Antonio will continue to seek community input on budget priorities and strongly encourage you to attend Post-Proposed Budget Open Houses beginning in August. Click here for the official FY 2019 Budget Calendar.
We applaud the City for the extensive community engagement. Manager Sculley has been a strong proponent of civic engagement when developing the City’s budget. The budget development process is a true collaborative effort between the community, business leaders and the City.
