CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — On Tuesday, city manager Peter Zanoni began his fiscal year 2025 budget presentation by telling the council that the budget will focus on several city priorities. Those include improving the local police and fire departments, providing homeowners with property tax relief, improving streets, and investing in the city’s employees.
The city’s operating budget to fund those is more than $990 million.
“Last year, that inner circle [on the grid] was $911 million. It’s gone up by $78 million," Zanoni said.
The majority of the budget is capital spending, totaling $867 million. Zanoni credits that increase to funding capital projects in the water and waste water funds, developer participation, infrastructure, and close to $250 million towards the inner harbor desalination facility.
These are other budgets that also contribute to the million-dollar pot, but the current general fund has decreased.
“The current budget is $352 million," Zanoni said. The proposed budget is $343 million, which is 2.6% less.”
Zanoni also pointed out that the city’s property tax revenue is 1.2% less this year. This is good news for homeowners.
“This council has been consistent in providing property tax relief," Zanoni added. "This chart helps to demonstrate that. There's almost a 5-cent reduction in the city’s property tax relief over the past two years.”
There will also be changes made to the After Hour Kid Power Program, new jobs added within parks and recreation and updated projects for Animal Care Services.
However, there are also some reductions that the city believes will help balance the budget. Closing the Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Library is one of the reductions. Others include eliminating positions in the solid waste department, and reducing food and travel budgets for the City Mayor, City Council, City Secretary and City Auditor.
Zanoni will further discuss an outline of the capital budget during an upcoming city council meeting.
A first vote on the fiscal year 2025 budget is set for September 3. If the vote passes, it will go through a final vote the following week. The new city budget goes into effect on October 1.
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