Crestview staff outlines budget schedule, proposes 0.1% millage rollback as council weighs priorities
Loading...
Summary
City staff opened Crestview's budget workshop with an early timetable for this year's budget, a proposed 0.10 mill rollback starting point, and a request that council set priorities while staff completes revenue estimates and department requests.
City staff opened Crestview's annual budget workshop by outlining the schedule for the 2025 budget process and proposing a one-tenth of a mill cut as a starting point for council direction.
Jess (city staff) told council members the city is beginning the budget process earlier this year to accommodate transitions and new members, and that staff will not present firm revenue numbers until the property appraiser issues certified values on July 1. "We start so early in this process because we want to make sure that we have time to review all of these different requests and make sure they're in line with what you guys have set as our priorities," Jess said.
The presentation described a multi-step calendar: department proposals to finance staff this month; review and group discussions; certified property values on July 1; an all-day workshop after certification to finalize numbers; and required first and second budget hearings later in the summer. Staff said the council’s strategic-priority categories (infrastructure, play, safety, community culture) are already attached to line items to explain why projects are advanced or carried forward.
Why it matters: council members repeatedly emphasized public safety, parks and recreation, and long‑term capital projects as budget priorities while expressing concern about rate and tax impacts on residents. Without certified values, staff asked the council for policy direction now so finance can model specific budgets from a clear baseline.
Key details discussed - Proposed starting millage: staff said it will begin budget modeling with a 0.10 mill reduction from the current rate, using 6.64 mills as the working starting point for discussions. Staff cautioned final impacts cannot be calculated until the property appraiser provides estimated and certified values. - Schedule and hearings: certified values expected July 1; an all‑day workshop will follow to present firm numbers; state law requires public hearings to adopt millage and finalize the budget. - Carryforward projects: staff noted many capital projects are multi‑year and funds are routinely carried forward (examples discussed include Main Street revitalization, wastewater upgrades, and park improvements).
Council reaction and direction Council members said they generally supported lowering the millage but asked staff to show the tradeoffs: what services or projects would be reduced if the council adopts a lower millage versus keeping it flat. Councilman Bullard, Councilman Hayes, Councilman Capps, Councilwoman Allison and Mayor Perchon each named public safety and the sports complex among top priorities; multiple members urged staff to present options showing concrete program and capital impacts for each millage scenario.
Next steps Staff will return with department requests (due mid-month), updated bond/financing estimates and the property appraiser's certified or estimated values. Council asked staff to provide side‑by‑side scenarios (status quo versus specified millage reductions) showing which capital projects, operating programs or transfers would be affected.
Ending Staff emphasized the discussion was guidance for modeling only and that no final tax decisions would be made until the certified values and subsequent workshops are complete.
