Bexar County court approves change memo to FY2025–26 budget, adds public-safety positions and equipment and sets modest reserves

Bexar County Commissioners Court on Sept. 8 reviewed a change memorandum to the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating and capital budget and voted to include the memo in the package they will consider at a public hearing the following day.

The court’s budget and finance director, Tanya Gaetan, told the court the change memo reflects roughly $14 million in additional estimated revenues — $3.6 million for FY2025 and $10 million for FY2026 — and a series of baseline and program adjustments across multiple funds. Gaetan said the county’s projected general-fund ending balance for FY2025–26 was $223.8 million before the adjustments in the memo.

The change memo includes personnel authorizations and funding for courts and public safety, interfund transfers for vehicle purchases, election-related contingencies and a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) countywide. It also directs a portion of the new revenue to reserves: court discussion referenced allocating about $2.0 million to $2.1 million for contingency reserves rather than spending the full $14 million windfall.

Why it matters: The court’s long-range financial forecast shows a structural gap in the 2028–29 fiscal year unless revenue growth changes or spending is reduced. Commissioners and staff repeatedly returned to that forecast in questioning how much of the additional revenue should be spent now versus saved to narrow an anticipated future shortfall.

Key changes and amounts discussed

- General fund balances and revenue: Gaetan said the general fund ending balance presented in August was $223.8 million; auditors’ adjustments and updated estimates added roughly $14 million in expected revenue across FY2025 and FY2026.

- Reserves: David (County Manager), during discussion of the long-range forecast, said approximately $2.0–$2.1 million of the additional revenue was being recommended for reserves so it would compound and reduce the projected gap in FY2028–29 by about $8 million over time.

- Courts and judicial pay: The memo funds salary appropriations that were effective Sept. 1 for civil and county courts and increases personnel appropriations for multiple courts (criminal district, juvenile, probate and appellate allocations mentioned). Specific line items cited included amounts for judicial salaries and personnel appropriations across several court offices.

- Public safety and law enforcement: The memo authorizes and funds 10 deputy-sergeant positions for the county detention (South Tower) at an estimated net additional cost of about $1 million, contingent on the sheriff’s office providing a plan showing how filling those positions will reduce overtime and FLSA payments (the sheriff’s office had reported about $20 million in jail overtime in a recent year). The sheriff’s law-enforcement budget items discussed included funding for investigators, tactical equipment, operational costs including a $500,000 appropriation for the helicopter, and replacement or additional vehicles.

- Constables and vehicles: The memo adds funding to authorize two additional deputy constables per precinct (four total) contingent on written plans and performance metrics; the capital fund transfers would fund up to 16 new Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles contingent on that authorization and sedan purchases for other investigators.

- Elections: The change memo increases contingencies by $1.54 million for voter-registration and election-management systems, adds funding for 700 express-vote ballot printers (about $560,000) and a $200,000 marketing contract related to BiblioTech. Commissioners asked for additional detail about whether the added election-system funding was needed and whether state systems or other vendors could handle some functions; one commissioner noted thousands of voter registrations were awaiting processing and urged timely resolution.

- ARPA and recurring program assumptions: Commissioners discussed the upcoming expiration of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program funding and whether programs currently funded by ARPA would continue. Staff estimated about $12.3 million annually of ARPA-funded programs were assumed in the forecast as continuing but said the court had not made a final determination; staff also characterized much of the ARPA carryover as contract-based services rather than direct county personnel.

Court discussion and concerns

Commissioners and the county manager repeatedly emphasized the long-range forecast and the need to balance immediate needs against preserving reserves for the projected FY2028–29 shortfall. Commissioner Moody said he opposed portions of the memo and would vote no, citing concerns that a portion of the $14 million windfall should be saved rather than largely spent. Other commissioners defended items in the memo as responses to public-safety and statutory obligations, including judicial pay and election administration needs.

Public comment

Dr. Roberto Trevino, a physician and researcher with the Social and Health Research Center, spoke during the citizens-to-be-heard portion to request county consideration of an $806,000, three-year, school-based health program targeted at 12 school districts and roughly 750 children. Trevino described prior NIH-funded randomized trials and offered the County information about program outcomes and cost per child.

Formal action

Commissioner Rodriguez moved to approve the change memorandum and include it in the proposed FY2025–26 budget package for the public hearing the next day. Commissioner Clay Flores seconded the motion. Commissioner Moody announced he would vote no. The motion carried.

What’s next

The court recorded the direction to include the change memorandum in the proposed budget to be considered at the public hearing scheduled for the next day. Staff told commissioners the capital and operating budget documents, including attachments to the change memo (administrative corrections, auditors’ revenue projections, vehicle replacement lists, take-home vehicle lists, the proposed 2026 calendar, elected-official compensation, and pay plans), are in the binder provided to the court and will be part of the public review.

The court and staff signaled follow-up items: the sheriff’s office to provide a staffing-and-overtime mitigation plan for the newly authorized sergeant positions; constables to submit written plans to justify additional deputy positions and vehicle needs; and additional details from elections staff on the proposed purchases or contracts related to voter-registration processing and ballot equipment.

Ending

The court concluded the session by calling the change memorandum approved for inclusion in the proposed FY2025–26 budget with the recorded dissent noted; the full proposed budget was scheduled for formal public consideration the next day.