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Finance staff outlines budget orientation and $404 million capital-improvement program
Summary
Interim finance director presented an overview of Brownsville’s budget process, FY25 projections showing a projected $4 million surplus, and a capital improvement plan totaling roughly $404 million with about 31% grant funding; commissioners asked for continued data on priorities and road projects.
Interim Finance Director Steven Aliso Muse gave the commission a budget orientation on July 1 that covered state statutes affecting local budgets, the city’s budget process and assumptions, FY25 revenue and expenditure projections, and the current capital improvement plan (CIP).
Aliso Muse reviewed Senate Bill 2 (the 2019 property-tax revenue cap) and House Bill 19 (a debt-cap proposal discussed during the recent legislative session that did not pass). He told commissioners the city is projecting about $144 million in revenues and roughly $140 million in expenditures for FY25, leaving a projected surplus of about $4 million at year end. He also described internal policy choices such as a self-imposed 37% sales-tax cap and a 90-day minimum fund balance policy intended to provide three months of operating reserves.
The presentation described a CIP that has grown from $83 million in 2021 to $404 million in current plans, including roughly $293 million supported by Certificates of Obligation and $111 million programmed from grants or partnerships. Staff said about 31% of the CIP is grant funded. Projects listed included the zoo expansion, public-safety complex design, library and city-hall renovations, airport runway reconstruction (phased), parks and trail work, drainage projects leveraging Texas Water Development Board funding, landfill cell construction, and heavy equipment purchases.
Aliso Muse also summarized recent personnel and benefits changes: phased salary and longevity adjustments, two cost-of-living adjustments, a minimum wage increase to $13 per hour, implementation of flexible schedules, tuition reimbursement of up to $5,000 and a six-week paid parental leave benefit.
Commissioners asked specific questions about timing for Dennett Road and other streets cited by residents; staff said those roadways are included in the multi-year CIP but that permitting or funding constraints mean some projects remain beyond the immediate five-year window. Commissioners asked staff to bring traffic and capacity analyses for roads raised in public comment during future workshops.
