Mesquite finance director reports healthy reserves but flags rising police overtime and health-claim costs

Summary

Finance Director Ted Chin told the City Council that Mesquite closed FY2025 with stronger overall reserves and record sales-tax receipts, but police overtime and a spike in health claims left the group medical fund with a multimillion-dollar shortfall that staff says they will address in the budget process.

Mesquite's finance director told the City Council the city ended fiscal year 2025 with generally healthy reserves but identified two areas of concern: sharply higher police overtime costs and a large, unexpected increase in health-insurance claims.

"We ended the fiscal year with a cash balance of $33,900,000 and a fund balance of $39,807,364 as of Sept. 30," said Ted Chin, Director of Finance, in a staff presentation of preliminary financial statements. He added that the city currently holds about 75.5 days of operating funds under the general fund policy. Chin also reported the seizure fund balance — after allocating money for the Bearcat armored vehicle purchase — is "estimated $1,500,000."

The presentation highlighted revenue gains, including a record $48.1 million in sales tax for the year and overall revenues of $177.9 million that exceeded expenditures by roughly $1.3 million…

Mesquite finance director reports healthy reserves but flags rising police overtime and health-claim costs

Summary

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