Austin City Manager Unveils Revised Budget Following Prop Q Failure
AUSTIN, TX – Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk has released a revised budget proposal after voters rejected Proposition Q, a $0.05 property tax rate increase, on Tuesday. The new budget, a concise 16 pages compared to the previously approved 1,300-page version, reflects adjustments needed after the loss of anticipated revenue.
The failure of Prop Q forces the city to re-evaluate funding for key initiatives previously earmarked for the extra revenue, including the Homeless Strategy Office, emergency medical services, parks, sidewalks, and overtime for the Austin Fire Department. City council members had previously expressed concerns that the initial budget cut too much from city services, with Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes calling the original plan “a Band-Aid budget, a budget that has Band-Aid solutions.” Now, the council faces the task of balancing the city’s financial needs without the additional tax revenue.
the revised budget will now proceed through a series of council work sessions and potential adoption votes. A budget work session is scheduled for November 13, where City manager Broadnax will present the proposal. Another work session will follow on November 18, with potential adoption slated for November 20. Special called sessions are also planned for November 21 and 24 if needed.
The full revised budget document is available for public review here.
