Austin’s proposed FY 2021-22 budget could see more than $65M directed to homelessness, reincorporation of millions for APD operations

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Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk presented his proposed budget year 2021-22 on July 9th. (Ben Thompson / Community Impact Newspaper)

Austin could operate on a budget of $ 4.5 billion in fiscal year 2021-22 with a general tax increase of 3.5%, the city announced ahead of city manager Spencer Cronk’s July 9 release of its budget proposal.

Cronk made budget comments to city council members at an event at Community First Village on July 9, initially setting out several priorities and areas of focus in an initial spending plan, which was increased by around 7% from last year’s preliminary budget.

While one of the most important parts of last year’s budget was the roughly $ 150 million cut in the Austin Police Department, achieved in part by cutting vacancies and moving some non-police operations out of the APD, this year’s plan sees the opposite in front . Due to the enactment of the House Act 1900 that spring severely punishing any towns that “discover” their police departments, previously decoupled offices in Cronk’s plan, such as the Emergency Communications and Forensic Science departments, were returned to APD “to replace them State budget requirements. “Approximately $ 6.2 million in additional funding for APD’s Cadet Academy would also be included.

The city also highlighted efforts to transform Austin public safety sparked by last year’s police brutality protests, and the budget process continues despite these funding shifts: around $ 29 million will continue to be used to help redesign the progress to “maintain and promote” public safety in the city. Initiative. That process included several operational changes to the city’s public safety over the past year, including budget shifts and the community’s commitment to ensuring that the Austin police system “reflects the core values ​​of the community,” the city said.

Cronk’s draft also provides tens of millions of dollars for the city’s homeless programs, totaling $ 65.2 million in funding for more than a dozen city departments. That is on top of the more than $ 100 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act that the city could allocate to homeless services and housing initiatives this spring as directed by the city council.

One of Cronk’s priorities, which he outlined before his budget presentation, was “promoting a resilient city” with funding for infrastructure, climate responses and “chronic social and institutional inequalities”, including homelessness and public safety. Also under Cronk’s resilience umbrella are items such as a five-year plan for $ 298.2 million in water catchment protection measures; a five-year plan for $ 348.6 million to improve water treatment and supplies; $ 12.8 million for forest fire prevention; and millions of dollars in food supplies, displacement and justice efforts.

“The good news is that Austin, Texas has weathered the many challenges of the past year economically as well or better than any other major city in America,” said Cronk in a statement prior to his presentation. “Our local economy is fundamentally strong and has performed unexpectedly well during the COVID period[-19] Pandemic, with a more positive impact on our budget than we expected a few months ago. “

Other highlights the city shared ahead of Cronk’s presentation include $ 79 million in investment in affordable housing; more than $ 18 million in cultural programs such as museum expansions, live music support, and the purchase of other “creative spaces”; and $ 152.3 million in planned spending on mobility projects.

The city’s general fund budget could go hand in hand with a 3.5% increase in property tax revenue, which the city said would result in an approximately 0.85% increase in annual payments made by the average Austin real estate owner, based on taxes and other rates and fees.

After the Cronk handover on July 9, members of the council and community have several weeks to comment on the shape and size of the city’s budget for fiscal year 2021-22. The framework will be held on July 22nd and 29th, and the city council will have its own working sessions on July 27th and August 3rd. A final budget is expected to be adopted by the Council on August 11th.

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