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Maria: Balcones Heights crime-control district funded by sales-tax allocation; COLA set by bargaining agreement
Summary
At the July 27 meeting staff member Maria told the board the Crime Control and Prevention District is funded by a sales-tax allocation (described in the transcript as "0.25 of the sales tax, 25¢ of every") and said the collective bargaining agreement provides a cost‑of‑living adjustment the board cannot unilaterally change; a CPI figure of 3.6% was mentioned during questions.
Maria addressed the proposed FY2026–27 operating budget and clarified how the Crime Control and Prevention District is funded. "It's 0.25 of the sales tax, 25¢ of every, of the sales tax goes to this fund," she said, and added that the district funding is not drawn from property tax or the city's general fund.
Maria also explained that the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for employees includes a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) that the board cannot alter. The transcript records Maria saying there is a 3% COLA under the CBA and later, in response to a question about CPI, she stated the current CPI estimate being used was 3.6%. The record does not reconcile those two numbers within the meeting.
The chair reiterated that the bargaining association is not requesting step increases for 2027 but is asking for the COLA adjustment; the board noted budget constraints. No vote or formal action on the budget item occurred because the chair said a public hearing is required before the board may act.
