CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The city of Corpus Christi gave a preview for the 2025 fiscal year proposed city budget on Monday. It includes a 2.6% decrease from the current general fund budget, but what about your utility rates? City Manager Peter Zanoni comments.
"Water charges will go down for the residential customer by about a little over a dollar. So a reduction in the water cost. Wastewater will go up to offset that. So about a 3 dollar increase for your combined water and wastewater services," Zanoni said.
The general fund budget is $343.8 million, which is a 2.6 percent decrease from 2024. While water and wastewater will go up, there is good news in the proposed budget.
"Property tax and fee relief to our hard-working families and seniors. This budget includes a doubling of the homestead exemption and increase for senior exemptions," Zanoni said.
Zanoni added that the street budget will not change as funding for street projects will remain the same as this year. As part of their contract, police will see a 3 percent pay hike and firefighters will get a nine percent hike. Performance pay hikes are also in the budget for all civilian employees.
"We have over 4,000 employees. Some in the most challenging, most dangerous jobs in America. So continuing to invest in them in the form of performance pay and healthcare is the goal of this budget," Zanoni said.
The city manager recently got a ten percent pay raise which kicked up his annual salary to $409,000.
KRIS 6 News reporter Tony Jaramillo asked Zanoni what he says to those who think that's too much.
"All four thousand [employees] have significant salary adjustments to make them commensurate with the market That's our focus. So the city council with me that I'm doing with the employees. That is paying them market-rate wages that are competitive with major Texas cities," Zanoni said.
The first reading for the proposed 2025 budget is on September 3. The second reading is on September 10.
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