On Monday, Chamber members got a preview of the City of San Antonio’s proposed $2.8 billion 2019 budget from City Manager Sheryl Sculley. The budget was adopted by City Council at A-Session on Thursday, August 9, 2018.
The budget is divided into three key areas:
- $1.26 billion has been allocated for the General Fund, which includes funding for police and fire personnel, libraries, parks, human services, animal care services, and more.
- $889 million for the Restricted Fund, which includes those funds required to run the City as a business, including expenses for garbage collection and storm water operations.
- $690 million for the Capital Fund, which includes general obligation bonds for all capital improvement projects.
Recommendations for the FY 2019 budget include $110 million for much needed street maintenance, which is a $10 million dollar increase from last year. Manager Sculley has also proposed $17.1 million more for affordable housing and $350,000 for a Youth Re-engagement Center, which will help 35,000 youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are disconnected from education and work. In addition, Sculley has proposed $250,000 for an air quality plan and outreach in light of the county’s recent non-attainment designation.
We applaud the city for its sound fiscal management, which has been vital to maintaining the city’s Triple-A bond rating from all three major agencies. The 2019 fiscal year will NOT require a property tax rate increase for the 26th consecutive year.
The proposed FY 19 budget was a true collaborative effort between the community, business and city leaders. There was tremendous community engagement that went into developing the proposed budget. This past spring, the City kicked off its fourth annual #SASpeakUP budget outreach campaign. (
See more information in our #SASpeakUP article.) City leaders received a record-breaking 7,816 responses during the budget outreach campaign. Responses were received from 30 community-wide events and through online surveys, and the feedback indicated that streets are the top service identified for an increase.
More information on the recommended budget, including a timeline of its formal adoption, can found at the
City of San Antonio’s website or at the
SASpeakUP website.
