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Anna proposes FY 2025–26 budget with police hires, $54M wastewater project; council sets public hearings and proposes $0.525073 tax rate
Summary
City staff presented the draft FY2025–26 budget that includes police staffing additions, major capital projects (notably a $54 million Hurricane Creek wastewater plant expansion and a new police station), and a proposed property tax rate of $0.525073; council set public hearings and approved the proposed tax rate for public notice.
Anna, Aug. 12 — Acting City Manager Mark Marchand and Budget Manager Terry Dobie presented the city’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget and related tax rate proposals during Tuesday’s council meeting.
Terry Dobie outlined the budget’s revenue assumptions and calendar required by state law. The city proposes a property tax rate of $0.525073 per $100 of assessed value to support the recommended budget. Dobie said that amount is above the city’s calculated no‑new‑revenue rate (0.495928) but below the voter‑approval threshold (0.532173). Using the proposed rate on the average taxable value in Anna, staff estimated the city portion of a typical homeowner’s annual tax increase would be about $98.
Key operating and capital highlights in the proposed budget: - Police staffing additions: five patrol officers, one detective and one lieutenant included per council direction earlier this year; the police station is a major CIP request. - Major capital projects: Hurricane Creek wastewater treatment plant expansion (a roughly $54 million project to increase capacity), Bryant Park and Finley Park construction, and a new police station; staff said the city currently has approximately $109 million in active projects. - Utilities: the utility fund is budgeted to be balanced; staff noted 47% of utility costs are payments to third‑party providers (sewage treatment, water purchases and solid waste) and signaled future rate model review will be necessary as the new wastewater plant and other infrastructure come online. - Parks and library: the budget includes operating support tied to a publicly accessible library and additional custodial staffing tied to increased hours.
The council moved two procedural items required to advance the budget process: it approved a resolution naming Sept. 2, 2025 at 6 p.m. for the public hearing on the budget, and it approved a resolution proposing the 0.525073 tax rate and scheduling the public hearing on the tax rate for the same Sept. 2 meeting. The council voted 6–1 to adopt the proposed tax rate for public notice (motion passed 6–1); the hearing date and place for the budget were approved unanimously.
Council members pressed staff on the balance between growth and services: several asked about the timing of future road projects and noted roads will likely require future bond issues, and others pushed to continue pursuing commercial development to reduce residential property tax burden. Staff highlighted that the proposed budget tries to hold operating growth down while funding necessary infrastructure to manage rapid population growth.
The proposed budget and tax‑rate resolution will return after public hearings. If council reduces the proposed rate after public input, staff said they would return with rebalanced expenditure options to match any lower rate.
Votes at a glance: the council approved the budget public‑hearing resolution unanimously and approved placing the proposed 0.525073 tax rate on public notice by a 6–1 vote; the council also approved the Anna Community Development Corporation and Economic Development Corporation budgets on first readings and then by resolution (both passed unanimously at the meeting).
