Little things mean a lot when mid-September budget time rolls around on the city calendar.
This year, it was a little more, rather than a little less. Even after bloodlessly budgeting $1.6 billion and giving most every city department its current funding and then some, the City Council was showered by city financial staff with a last-minute $4.8 million windfall (better-than-expected tax and utility revenue, lower-than-expected costs for fleet vehicles and the Mexic-Arte building). This was on top of $3 million that had already been set aside, but not yet budgeted, for the council’s social equity initiatives. Here’s what happened to all that money on Sept. 13 and 14, when the council officially put the 1999-2000 budget to bed:
The social equity package ended up with a $4 million new-money price tag. Big tickets include money to expand child care for city employees and to support better child care citywide; a new $1 million affordable-housing trust fund; a citywide “neighborhood academy” and a pilot neighborhood-services program in East and Northeast Austin; an African-American cultural history program at the Austin History Center; $600,000 for a workforce development info clearinghouse and collaborative pilot program; and a new Austin Energy program to promote economic development with Austin’s three minority chambers of commerce.
The controversial transportation initiative got $1 million in General Fund money — on top of the $4 million made available by Austin Energy’s paying the city’s streetlight bill — for improvements at key intersections. This was one of the few amendments not to pass 7-0, with Council Members Daryl Slusher and Beverly Griffith arguing against taking money out of the utility for non-energy purposes, especially when Austin Energy is supposed to be prepping for deregulation. (Slusher and Griffith also voted against Austin Energy’s marketing program offering reduced-price library cards to utility customers outside the city limits.)
The library also got new funding and staff to match a private grant to greatly expand computer facilities. Other miscellany include additional funding for the new Downtown Community Court and for the detox treatment the court will order; buying Mexic-Arte’s building for $740,000, instead of the $2 million-plus originally predicted; adding even more staff and funding for neighborhood planning; restoring services at the once-to-be-closed South Austin Dental Clinic; and buying new furniture for City Hall (a whopping $5,000 outlay).
Another controversial item was the creation of what was originally called a “consumer rate advocate” position to advise the council on utility rate setting. (Commercial customers have lobbyists, you do not.) After rechristening this post an “analyst,” Council Member Bill Spelman tried to get it assigned to the city auditor, which reports directly to the council and not to City Manager Jesus Garza. Garza didn’t like this idea, which admittedly may not be legal under the City Charter. We ended up with a consulting contract, rather than a full-time staffer, to be overseen by Garza’s financial staff.
And then there were the last-minute proposals that erupt from the dais every year: three notable ideas, all of which failed. Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Goodman tried to add $1 million to Austin Energy’s conservation-rebate fund and earmark $3.5 million over two years for burying utility lines at intersections (including Sixth and Lamar) where the streets will already be torn up. These were passed on Monday but got whittled down on Tuesday to directives to Austin Energy to study the ideas, with dollar amounts to be named later. And Council Member Willie Lewis tried without success to get the planned $10 (or 67%) increase in the residential burglar-alarm permit fee scaled back.
But these spicy little flaps couldn’t obscure the fact that almost every item in the budget script passed 7-0, including the property tax rate, which the council was delighted to “lower” from this year’s rate (though it’s still one cent over the effective rate) just as Austin ISD was hiking its rate by more than a dime. As Council Member (and former AISD and ACC board president) Gus Garcia noted, “This is my 21st public budget cycle, and I think this one has been the best.”
This article appears in September 17 • 1999.
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