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Hutto staff previews FY2026–27 budget; officials estimate a 2.5¢ tax increase to add partial‑year city fire service
Summary
Finance Director Alberta Barrett presented the preliminary FY2026–27 budget showing a no‑new‑revenue baseline (about 40¢), projected sales tax declines after 2025 one‑time spikes, proposed personnel reclassifications and vehicle replacements, and an estimate that adding a city fire service for three shifts (0.75 year) would cost about $1.57 million — roughly a 2.5¢ property tax increase.
Finance Director Alberta Barrett presented the City of Hutto’s preliminary proposed budget for FY2026–27, outlining preliminary taxable values, sales tax projections, personnel requests, vehicle replacements, and a partial‑year cost estimate for establishing an initial city fire service.
Barrett told council staff are working with preliminary appraisal district values and that certified rolls will arrive later in July. She noted sales tax projections are lower compared with FY2025 because last year’s receipts included two one‑time spikes tied to large equipment purchases for a global business. "Those spikes were due to one time equipment purchases for a global business," City Manager James Arc explained in response to council questions, adding staff had recalculated projections accordingly.
On personnel, the proposed budget includes three new positions (a parks maintenance tech, a police administrative support role for professional standards, and a strategic performance analyst), several reclassifications to create career progression steps, and a modest step increase for employees. Barrett summarized the preliminary fiscal effect of starting a city fire service for 0.75 of a year (January start) at about $1,568,837, noting that would increase the property tax rate by roughly 2.5¢ to about 42.5¢ — still below the voter‑approval threshold shown in the packet.
Council asked staff to consider whether to host the customary August Saturday workshop or to use the July/August calendar for deliberations; staff indicated the full proposed budget will be filed by July 31 and further refinements will follow when certified values arrive. Barrett emphasized the proposal assumes no utility‑rate increases and includes conservative sales tax forecasts.
What happens next: staff will finalize numbers with certified appraisal values in late July, post the proposed budget by July 31, and hold scheduled public hearings in September. Council will consider a final proposed tax rate and adoption later this summer.
