COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The College Station City Council had its first look at the city’s proposed budget for the 2021-2022 year on Thursday.
The city is putting forth a $353.7 million budget to the city council, a 13 percent increase from last year. The proposed budget includes no changes to the current tax rate.
Officials said the city was able to absorb the $48.3 million cost incurred during the February winter storm.
“We took the revenues that we anticipate for the next year, matched those up with the expenditures,” City Manager Bryan C. Woods said.
The final adoption of the budget and tax rate is tentatively scheduled for August 12th.
Another topic of discussion at yesterday's Council meeting was whether certain elections should be held in even or odd years.
Every four years in College Station the mayoral, city council and school board are on the November ballot.
According to the council, 33 thousand voters cast their ballots last November, which is 82% more than during odd-year elections.
“All the data suggests that they come out better in even years, and what I want more than anything is for our voters to come out,” Place 4 Councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha said.
Odd year elections give the candidates for mayor, city council, and school board more coverage since they would not have to coincide with the presidential election.
“You have the same amount of people registered to vote for even number and odd number years,” Place 6 Councilman Dennis Maloney said.
When it came to making a decision, the council members did not see eye to eye.
“Don’t assume people don’t vote in odd number years because they don’t care,’ Cunha said. “Sometimes it is really hard to get off work for a small election and sometimes it’s easier to get off for a bigger election.”
In the end, the council voted 4-3 to pass the amendment putting the final decision in the hands of voters this November.