Katy City Council approves budget and tax rate

By R. Hans Miller, News Editor
Posted 9/27/21

During their last regular meeting for September, Katy City Council members adopted a tax rate of $0.447168 per $100 of property value and approved the city’s 2021-22 budget.

“I …

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Katy City Council approves budget and tax rate

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During their last regular meeting for September, Katy City Council members adopted a tax rate of $0.447168 per $100 of property value and approved the city’s 2021-22 budget.

“I wanted to commend Mayor (Bill) Hastings, staff and my fellow council members on what we’re doing tonight,” said Council Member Dan Smith of Ward A. “With this vote, we’re voting on a new balanced budget for next fiscal year and a tax rate that remains at the same rate (as last year).”

Both Smith and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris said Katy is fortunate to be able to hold to the same property tax rate as the previous fiscal year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated financial challenges.

Smith pointed out that the budget increases expenditures for public safety by 12% with additional police officers being added to the Katy Police Department and makes the hiring of 16 Katy Fire Department staff permanent. Those staff had been hired about two years ago with funding through a $2 million grant. Additional funding will go toward street improvements. It also adds about $320,000 in investment into the city’s permitting and inspection processes.

Permitting and inspections have long been a complaint of businesses and builders trying to work within city limits with inconsistencies between city inspectors topping the list of complaints. Earlier this year, consultants advised the city to automate some processes in order to streamline permitting and inspections.

The roughly $47.9 million budget includes about $34.54 million in general revenue funds and expenditures, $8.6 million in enterprise funds, $1.4 million in Hotel Occupancy Tax income and spending and about $3.4 million in debt service items.

Hastings said the city’s budget was balanced again this year, just as it always has been.

Of the total tax rate of $0.447168 per $100 valuation, $0.83633 is allotted to the city’s debt and the remaining $0.363535 going toward the city’s maintenance and operations expenses. That comes out to about $447 per $100,000 of property value.

At the meeting, council members also:

  • Approved the payment of annual dues to the Katy Area Economic Development Council in the amount of $15,000.
  • Approved final plats for portions of Cane Island, Katy Keystone, Katy Mills Unrestricted Reserve B, Pederson Road Development and the Robertson subdivision.
  • Awarded a bid for the delivery of fuel to Colorado County Oil out of Columbus, Texas.
  • Added more than $26,000 to the contract to construct Water Plant No. 7 for the purpose of clearing trees from the easement and making adjustments to sanitary sewer lines.
  • Added about $14,000 to fund work along Rexora Lane and Fortuna Drive drainage improvements, bringing the total cost for that contract with Huitt-Zollars, Inc. to about $459,000.
  • Approved the installation of a mailbox at Katy Heritage Park for use by the Katy Heritage Society.
Katy City Council, Property Taxes, Budget