Public safety, raises fuel Woodway's proposed 12% budget increase

The Woodway City Council this week heard a budget proposal from City Manager Shawn Oubre.
Jerry Larson, Tribune-Herald file photo

Waco Tribune-Herald
Christopher De Los Santos
June 14, 2023

Woodway’s city manager is proposing a $13.2 million budget that would increase spending by 12% over last year to cover the cost of employee raises and other expenses.

City Manager Shawn Oubre presented a draft budget to the city council Monday that includes a 5% pay increase for rank-and-file employees, as well as new equipment for the public safety department in the 2023-24 fiscal year that begins in the fall. Based on preliminary tax roll estimates, he called for a property tax rate of 40.33 cents per $100 value, down from the current rate of 41.72 cents.

However, this year’s increase in appraisals would result in a higher tax bill than last year’s for many property owners.

The proposed budget will allow Woodway to continue its tradition of offering residents top-notch community services and the highest quality of life, Woodway Mayor Amine Qourzal said by email Wednesday.

“Additionally, we plan to play catch up with our 5% cost of living adjustment, which was based on the March 2023 Consumer Price Index and is the same adjustment as last year,” Qourzal said.

He said the pay bump will bring Woodway’s pay closer to other area municipalities that gave raises of more than 5%.

“This allows us to retain and recruit high-quality talent,” Qourzal saaid.

Based on the average taxable home value of around $380,000, estimated by the McLennan County Appraisal District, the proposed tax rate would produce a tax bill around $1,530. Last year’s average home value was about $344,000, resulting in a tax bill of about $1,440 with last year’s rate.

Woodway’s overall property values increased by an estimated 13% this year, the Tribune-Herald reported in May. The total preliminary taxable value of property in Woodway is $1.8 billion for the upcoming tax year, up from about $1.6 billion last year.

Oubre’s proposed budget assumes $5.93 million in property tax revenue, about $4.33 million in sales tax revenue and about $727,000 in franchise fees.

The current budget is based on $5.3 million in property tax revenue, $3.9 million in sales tax revenue and $685,000 in franchise fees. Actual sales taxes and franchise fees in 2022-23 are estimated at about 10% to 15% higher.

The public safety department is the largest department in the city, with the most employees, and accounts for over 50% of general fund expenditures, Woodway Finance Director Brenda Hernandez said in a Wednesday email.

In the proposed 2023-24 budget, city spending for the public safety department would increase by about $662,000.

The proposed 5% employee raises, along with proposed spending increases in insurance and retirement, account for $478,000 of the public safety department increase, Hernandez said. The department will also spend around $57,000 for ballistic vests and bullet resistant vests. The budget also includes around $68,000 of increased vehicle replacement spending, and a $50,000 increase for vehicle maintenance and fuel costs, she said.

The Woodway budget also proposes to spend $200,000 to add a human resources manager, raise the budget lines for contingency and emergency expenses, and cover legal expenses.

Qourzal said he supports the staff proposal on the HR position, which is based on an auditor’s recommendation the city create two positions to handle duties related to accounting and human resources that now are handled by the same person.

“One cannot do all of the duties assigned to receivables, HR, and payroll for a city our size,” Qourzal said.

Increases to community services including parks, streets and public buildings, come to around $155,000, as well as spending for the Woodway Family Center increasing by $184,000.

An additional $275,000 to be spent on the Carleen Bright Arboretum will be funded by hotel and tourism taxes, not directly affecting property taxes.