Cleburne City Council adopted its Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which continues its conservative approach to revenues and expenditures and invests in infrastructure, services, and economic growth.
City Council unanimously approved the budget at its Sept. 14 meeting. The annual budget outlines the City’s expenditures and revenues for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, 2021.
“In 10 years of serving this community that is the best budget I’ve ever seen,” Mayor Scott Cain said. “Being able to reduce our tax rate and the tax bill for our residents and still provide a lot of bang for the buck.”
The budget includes a lower tax rate. At $0.690498 per $100 of valuation, the ad valorem tax rate represents a decrease of $0.0696 from the previous tax rate ($0.760092) or approximately 6.96-cents per $100 of valuation. The City is able to once again reduce its ad valorem tax rate due to new development, cost savings initiatives, a reduction in our debt payment, and an increase in existing property values.
The $99-million budget continues City Council’s goals including a focus on proactive infrastructure projects, maintaining safe and clean neighborhoods, economic development, building a strong workforce, and enhancing the level of care and maintenance for City facilities, grounds, and equipment.
The budget includes funding for infrastructure improvements including drainage, water and wastewater facilities, and $2.5 million to continue the multiyear investment in street reconstruction. It also addresses the replacement of aging city vehicles including police cars, an ambulance, two dump trucks, sanitation trucks and more.
The City continues directly investing in our community by extending programs such as the façade improvement matching incentive, downtown building rehabilitation, infill lot impact fee rebate, and the community investment program with Christmas in Action better known as the HOPE program.
The budget features funds to improve facilities community members use on a daily basis including new carpet at the Library, new gym floor and equipment at the Booker T. Washington Recreation Center, new flooring for the Senior Center, Sports Complex improvements, plantings and amenities at McGregor Park, and much more. It also funds maintenance equipment so crews can keep our parks in shape.
The $99 million budget represents a $14 million increase from the previous fiscal year. This is primarily due to major drainage, water and wastewater capital projects, as well as increased costs for good and services, and proposed capital assets.
The City continues its conservative approach to revenue estimates with a pursuit of economic development opportunities, operational cost savings, grant funding, and public/private partnerships.
Watch the presentation
Review the FY 2022 Budget Document