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San Antonio City Council Members Marc\u00a0Whyte and Marina\u00a0Alderete Gavito have opposed a proposed property tax increase to help balance the city\u2019s budget. They are right. The city should be looking at more spending cuts before raising rates.<\/p>\n
Josie Norris\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
The city of San Antonio\u2019s proposed budget doesn\u2019t add up.<\/p>\n
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Oh, it is balanced through a mix of cuts and a modest tax rate increase. We are not saying it doesn\u2019t add up on the Excel spreadsheet. We also are not saying that what has been proposed doesn\u2019t make sense. We understand how this approach avoids certain painful cuts.<\/p>\n
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But it bothers us, and it should bother taxpayers, that while the city is staring down a massive shortfall of $158 million over the next two years<\/a>, under this proposed budget, the city\u2019s general fund\u00a0would grow by 4%.<\/p>\n That is what does not add up \u2014 not at a time when households are grappling with inflation, the high cost of gas, economic uncertainty, potential but necessary utility rate increases and even increases in school district property tax rates.<\/p>\n Why is the general fund, which covers day-to-day operations, increasing if there is a projected two-year shortfall?<\/p>\n At least with utility rate increases, the public can see the benefits of investing in infrastructure to keep the power on and fix water lines. At least with school district property tax rate increases, the public can \u2014 hopefully \u2014 see the promise of investing in children and understand how the state is starving public schools of funding.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n EDITORIAL: City of San Antonio\u2019s case for property tax rate increase lacking<\/a><\/p>\n With the city, we can\u2019t get there. If the City Council approves this mix of cuts and a property tax rate increase, the city\u2019s general fund will increase to $1.76 billion.<\/p>\n That would continue a trend that goes back years. In 2022, the city\u2019s general fund<\/a> was $1.36 billion. In 2025, the general fund was $1.67 billion. In 2026, it was $1.69 billion.<\/p>\n In essence, if the City Council wanted to, it could reduce spending to 2024 or 2025 levels, saving about $90 million from this year\u2019s proposed budget. We have a hard time believing the city\u2019s population has grown so much in recent years that maintaining spending at the 2025 level would be devastating.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Beyond this, we remain unconvinced that city officials have exhausted every possible avenue for savings. Case in point: It\u2019s disturbing the city spends millions of dollars a year on its redundant detention center<\/a> on South Frio Street, perpetuating deadly double magistration, rather than partnering with Bexar County to end this inhumane practice.<\/p>\n The city can\u2019t partner with the county to end double magistration\u00a0\u2014 or find other efficiencies\u00a0\u2014\u00a0but it will raise taxes on its residents?<\/p>\n Another concern is whether state leadership will leverage this modest tax rate increase to further undermine city governance. Whatever revenue is gained through this increase may not be worth the pain from Gov. Greg Abbott and lawmakers should Republicans retain control of state government this election.<\/p>\n Abbott has called for deregulating the electricity markets for San Antonio and Austin, a move that would threaten the contribution CPS Energy makes to San Antonio\u2019s general fund and could be financially devastating to our city.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n