The City of Leon Valley Crime Control and Prevention District board on Aug. 19 adopted the district's fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation and a brief public hearing.
Police Chief David Gonzalez presented the budget and its projected resources and fund balance. He said operating expenditures are $429,755 and operating revenues $440,300, and that the district funds 50% of the assistant chief position, one patrol officer and the investigator supervisor, a sergeant in criminal investigations. "That is the goal every year," Gonzalez said of progressing on closing cases.
The chief told the board the district currently covers contractual services tied to policing, including Axon body cameras and car cameras, impound and towing services, and magistration services, and that the department pays several ongoing contracts through the district fund. He also described planned capital purchases: one administrative, unmarked vehicle for command staff or a detective to be paid from the district fund and a separate patrol vehicle to be purchased from another fund.
Gonzalez summarized multi-year figures and said resources for the district were shown as $1,200,000 under the proposed plan and that the projected ending fund balance would be $819,503 if the budget is adopted as presented.
A resident, Richard Blackmore, used the public-hearing period to complain about the meeting's posted start time and said he had concerns about the police department and chief. "You lost my confidence," Blackmore said. City staff and the presiding officer responded that the Crime Control and Prevention District meeting is a separately posted meeting and that the fund is separate from the general fund.
Councilor Campos moved to adopt the FY2026 budget for the Leon Valley Crime Control and Prevention District; Councilor Heil seconded the motion. The presiding officer called for votes; members responded "aye" and the presiding officer said the motion carried. The board closed the public hearing and adjourned at 5:57 p.m.
The board earlier approved the consent agenda, including minutes from the Aug. 20, 2024 meeting, on a motion by Councilor Orozco and a second by Councilor Campos.
The Crime Control and Prevention District was created after a state enabling law was enacted in 1989, the chief said, and Leon Valley voters first approved the district in November 2013 with a later voter action in 2023 to continue the tax. The board and staff clarified that the district is funded by a dedicated local sales-tax rate and is not funded from the city's general fund.
No dollar amounts beyond those presented in the budget were added during debate, and the board did not attach conditions or amendments to the adopted budget at the meeting.
The board will implement the budget through its normal administrative processes; no additional formal direction to staff was recorded during the meeting minutes provided.