City Council Passes 2010 Budget

Some of the major changes in next year's budget, which goes into effect on October 1, include closing over one hundred vacant city positions and freezing salaries for city employees. $3.7 million of the savings stemmed from the city's new self-funded HMO program that began last year, while another $2.5 million came from reductions in fuel costs. Public library and pool hours were unaffected. The annual Trail of Lights festival will continue, with a new entry fee that will help to offset its $800k operating cost.

"We’ve listened to the community and brought forward a budget that maintains core services including public safety," said City Manager Marc Ott. "We explained to the community early on what we were facing, received unprecedented input, and with the Council, worked toward meeting those concerns."

Mayor Leffingwell was optimistic about next year's outlook, releasing a statement saying he was "proud to say we have approved a budget after months of diligent work by the community and city staff. This work includes a transparent process of town halls, public presentations and open budget hearings... All in all, Austin's quality of life continues to be our greatest asset."

To cover the remaining revenue difference, utility bills will increase for some residents; Austin Water Utility customers are expected to see an average increase of roughly $3.75 in their monthly bills, and households using 90-gallon garbage containers will face an increase of just under two dollars in their garbage rates. Property taxes, pending a public hearing at 6 p.m. on September 24th, are also expected to increase; the official estimate pegs this figure at at $85 for the average single-family home.

Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Budget Homepage
FY 2010 - Executive Summary (pdf)
FY 2010 - Performance Documents (pdf)
FY 2010 - Supporting Documents (pdf)
City Council Budget Q+A