San Marcos City Council Slated To Consider Approval Of FY 2020 Budget, 2019 Tax Rate And Increase In Water Utility Rates

Staff Reports

The San Marcos City Council is slated to consider the adoption of the city’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget, the setting of the Tax Rate for the 2019 tax year and the increase for all water utility rates.

The council has held public hearings on all items related to the FY 2020 budget since late August.  

Council will consider approving a budget in the amount of $239,058,970, which will take effect on October 1, 2019, on the second of two readings.

Included with the approval of the FY 2020 budget, the council will authorize certain adjustments to the budget with the approval of the city manager, adopt a fee schedule and approve the 2019-2020 Capital Improvements Program Projects.

The council will also vote to approve on the second of two readings increasing rates established for Water, Wholesale Water, Reclaimed Water, Wastewater Treatment and Sewer Surcharges.

The Citizen’s Utility Advisory Board has recommended a 5 percent adjustment to water rates and a 3 percent adjustment to wastewater rates for FY 2020.

The average resident will see a $3.95 per month increase if they receive San Marcos water.

The City of San Marcos was also given the recommendation by CUAB to continue implementing small increases annually over the next two to four years in order to offset a potentially much larger adjustment of 25 to 35 percent as debt for the Alliance Regional Water Authority project.

The smaller increases allow the city to issue the debt service over several years. The ARWA project will provide San Marcos with an additional 50-year water supply once it is fully implemented.  

After two public hearings, the council will consider setting the 2019 Tax Rate on the second of two readings.

The proposed tax rate is $0.6239 on each $100 of taxable value of real property that is not exempt from taxation.

In FY 2020, 33.7 percent of the tax rate will go toward debt service and the remaining 66.3 percent will cover city operations.

The San Marcos City Council will convene for their regular meeting at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.