The proposal comes months after Austin voters rejected a property tax increase known as Proposition Q in November.

AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin is asking for community input as it works to shape a proposed $700 million bond package that could appear on the November ballot.

City leaders hosted an open house on Saturday at the Northwest Recreation Center, giving residents a chance to learn more about the proposal and share their priorities.

Earlier rounds of public feedback helped narrow the focus to five key areas: transportation, public safety, parks and recreation, watershed protection and community facilities.

If approved in its current form, city officials estimate the average homeowner would pay about $14 more per year in property taxes.

The proposal comes months after Austin voters rejected a property tax increase known as Proposition Q in November. City officials say this bond package differs from that measure.

“There’s a pretty distinct difference between Prop Q and what we’re doing here as a bond,” said Eric Bailey, deputy director of Capital Delivery Services for the city of Austin. “Prop Q was really related to the operating expenses of the city. This is for capital improvement projects – things that are affecting roads and sidewalks and city facilities.”

Community engagement leaders say public participation is critical to the process.

“It’s always really important to hear from community,” said Lucero Arechiga, a community engagement consultant for the city of Austin. “That really helps us understand where priorities lie and highlights the importance of making sure we carry that voice all the way through to decision-makers.”

City officials said feedback could even determine whether the bond moves forward at all.

“If during the public outreach we hear from folks, ‘Hey, we don’t want a tax increase,’ that’s definitely a message that we’ll receive,” Bailey said. “Maybe it’s not a good idea. Maybe it’s not a good time to go out with the next bond election.”

Bailey added that the current outreach phase is designed to gauge public support and understand potential impacts before any final decision is made.

City staff plan to send a final recommendation to the Austin City Council in May.

For more information on how to weigh in, both online and in person, click here.