[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6589352,"mediaKeyId","5602159-2dbf99ad313505d1841b53aa3e899cb8","parentId",5602159,"title","Universal City EDC approves up to $314,000 in assistance for Synergy expansion at Northlake Business Park","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3983000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602159-2dbf99ad313505d1841b53aa3e899cb8&start=3983&end=3983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602159-2dbf99ad313505d1841b53aa3e899cb8/thumbnail_3983000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6589352/Universal-City/Bexar-County/Texas/Universal-City-EDC-approves-up-to-314000-in-assistance-for-Synergy-expansion-at-Northlake-Business-Park","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589352-dc742810e5b3001656b3a0a30ed3ad66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452788&Signature=hLBr5llbvH-z6om4zTGy1iwj~cjdQchh~Rq3mU4Kiaco0lTiHrfhMU4eng-gOZJRfBYa5ip2wGxvYKWAcmK8VCBtz0qFR0VkVyrWYFa1iqCQhwKR3OwJQeGQ-znK39bjmt99Jqjd-o5v8B2axfjXb~wLGEAN5h54M8we2MO-kh35SBl8kooRPGK1QeQFiAW0aCjmsUsCW5MFh75oTXWZL6vpEyPUAsF~-YnIOLYUoORt2bRfR67UoXqWemHKuKTFwtVgPf82TbAhyoTREiPPcvjC2gECgmqWT5vjpvnjiBSd~vkp6YwTXcCqjBDCVFvakiF3SLTEtk7w6sZUQA3X5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Universal City","date","2025-08-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Universal City Economic Development Corporation and city council on the evening approved an EDC storefront-program assistance package to support Synergy\u0000(industrial tenant) in expanding at 848 Westbird Boulevard in the Northlake Business Park.

EDC staff presented the request and the cost breakdown: the total project investment reported by the applicant was about $2.2 million for the phased expansion; the EDC recommendation was to fund up to approximately $314,000 to cover costs triggered by a city amendment to the International Fire Code that requires fire suppression and alarm systems for the proposed building. EDC staff (Mike) said the line-item breakdown includes a fire-line extension across the street (about $107,000), an interbuilding extension (about $63,000), a fire alarm system (about $26,000) and a suppression system (about $79,000), with the remainder covering overhead, profit and landscaping.

Mike told the council the expansion would retain an existing local employer and add roughly six to nine positions to the current workforce of 18 employees; the applicant estimated that property value and tax base would rise but did not provide an exact annual tax revenue estimate. EDC staff confirmed the standard process: the company pays for the work and the EDC reimburses the qualified costs after completion.

Council discussion acknowledged economic-development benefits from retaining and expanding an existing business in the Northlake Business Park, but several council members also pressed for assurance that the public investment would yield commensurate returns. One council member suggested structuring the assistance as a time-limited abatement or reimbursement schedule tied to continued operation in the city to reduce the risk of a public investment if the business later closes or relocates. Another council member noted the assistance request represents roughly 10\u0000to\u000015 percent of the applicant's reported project investment and asked for clearer projected tax and payroll numbers to aid evaluation.

After discussion, the council approved the EDC recommendation and the associated resolution for assistance; the motion carried. The EDC staff said they would execute the reimbursement agreement consistent with program rules and the project will move forward with the required permits and fire-line construction.

Why it matters: the grant is intended to encourage local industrial growth and job retention. Council debate highlighted the usual trade-offs for local economic development funds: retaining a business and higher payrolls versus ensuring strong public return on incentive dollars.

Next steps: staff will finalize the reimbursement agreement and the developer is to complete the permitting and construction; EDC reimbursement will occur after eligible costs are documented and approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Universal City - City Council","oneSentenceSummary","The Universal City Economic Development Corporation approved a staff-recommended assistance package of roughly $314,000 to help a local business, Synergy, add a new industrial building; council discussed job gains and the long-term return on the EDC investment before voting to approve the request.","taxTitle","Universal City, Bexar County, Texas","taxId",69407,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6589357,"Universal City opens public hearing on FY 2026 budget and sets 2025 tax rate at $0.53",3660,249000,3909000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602159-2dbf99ad313505d1841b53aa3e899cb8&start=249&end=3909","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602159-2dbf99ad313505d1841b53aa3e899cb8/thumbnail_249000.jpg","/articles/6589357/Universal-City/Bexar-County/Texas/Universal-City-opens-public-hearing-on-FY-2026-budget-and-sets-2025-tax-rate-at-053","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589357-c04fee9d2adc1c07ac2285303ef2461a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452788&Signature=T30ojM3tNFSWvVpsYJpxhq0SJazReD~U3yL2iG9TXKKi2NaO1FNlhr6vfZgDPxlqqosp1Z24zK18gfq3~K18HCJQiHUsMijibSOjR~xreE3DBDLkyivYgv3pE-eodkEZfVpgd8KMtnZV3Ie16I2jQpRMeDoslQmhsmcn6Huh1UKfdDM0w4IU-bzTrdO4a~-AVy9w4tMFO8yjXL0hI2MI89mg0WV1ir9tjfPeumqsLEeuH2Ubx1C08EnmZITKkBjA-iPUGIxniQE1BOjapNwXIGbmKsHb0uAm13VLwdna9-dyhgFHb6wGQ64qABVf3t7YFV4NIcLH585SEMPzOVSUdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Universal City on the evening of the council meeting opened a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and moved forward a final tax-rate schedule that sets the city\u0000wide 2025 tax rate at $0.53 per $100 of valuation.

City finance staff presented the budget highlights to the council, saying proposed general fund revenues are about $20,532,029 with tax revenue accounting for about 78 percent of that total. The staff presentation said no new full-time positions are requested for FY 2026, the cost-of-living adjustment is included for existing staff, and health-care costs are expected to increase substantially. The presentation listed deferred projects (a space-needs assessment, Summit Park and skate-park planning) and reductions in other line items. The budget also shows an $800,000 balance remaining in the venue-tax fund pending council direction.

The budget presentation matters because the tax rate and departmental allocations determine whether essential public services such as police, fire and public works can be maintained without further reductions. In the public hearing, several residents and business representatives praised the staff work but urged caution about continued long-term cuts to the tax rate.

During public comment, former Mayor John Williams and others praised a city housing-assessment program and urged prudence in setting rates. Commenters and several council members repeatedly framed the proposed change as modest in household terms: staff said a one-cent change in the tax rate equals about $200,000 for the city and that the proposed total rate change works out to roughly $30\u0000to\u000045 a year on a $300,000 home, depending on the calculation used.

Council discussion returned repeatedly to the venue tax and the golf course. Council member Raval proposed placing an item on a future agenda to reduce the venue tax rate (currently tied to venue and golf-course funding) and to adopt a local sales-and-use tax to provide additional maintenance-and-repair revenue for municipal streets; Raval said the change would reallocate hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to the general fund and help protect the golf course. The mayor and council agreed to add Raval\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000's proposal to a future agenda; council voted on the procedural request and recorded that the motion carried.

On formal action during the meeting, the council recorded a motion to set the 2025 tax rate at a total of $0.53, comprised of a maintenance-and-operations (M&O) component of $0.442 and a debt-service (I&S) component of $0.088. An amendment to lower the total rate to $0.5225 was offered but failed on a roll-call vote; the main motion for a $0.53 total rate then passed on final vote.

Council members debated trade-offs throughout the discussion: several members noted long-term cuts in the city\u0000tax rate over prior years and warned that repeated reductions could force abrupt future service cuts. Other council members emphasized that the proposed increase is modest relative to rising costs and recommended preserving services. Several speakers noted that certain homeowners 65 and older are tax-exempt or have frozen values under state rules, which affects how much revenue the city can capture from that demographic.

Also during the meeting, the council considered a revision to the city\u0000purchase policy that raises the threshold for informal procurement from $50,000 to $100,000 to align with a change passed by the state legislature (effective Sept. 1). Council asked for clarifying language during second reading to make clear how the city intends to use cooperative procurement contracts (co-ops) and how aggregate thresholds are applied across projects.

Next steps: the council has scheduled the formal adoption steps required under state law (public notices and a final vote on the budget and tax rate at upcoming meetings). The venue-tax/sales-tax proposal introduced as a council request will appear on a future agenda for fuller consideration and formal action.","City staff presented the proposed FY 2026 budget, including a recommended $0.53 tax rate; council opened public comment, debated funding for the golf course and venue tax uses, and voted to place a separate venue-tax adjustment proposal on a future agenda.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Universal City EDC approves up to $314,000 in assistance for Synergy expansion at Northlake Business Park

Universal City opens public hearing on FY 2026 budget and sets 2025 tax rate at $0.53