Proposed Budget FY2024 Highlights
Proposed Budget FY2024 Highlights
The Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget is $3.7 billion and includes all of the day-to-day services that residents have come to enjoy and rely on, from parks and libraries to garbage collection and recycling. This year, the budget also makes major long-term investments to provide property tax relief, keep San Antonio safe, enhance quality of life, and improve customer service.
Next year’s spending plan aims to address our community’s greatest needs as identified by the City Council and the residents themselves. Many of these challenges cannot be addressed in just one year, so the funding is part of a multi-year commitment to help San Antonio thrive. View the Proposed Budget.
Residents are invited to participate in a series of town hall meetings across San Antonio from August 14 - 24, 2023. Find your nearest town hall meeting.
PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF
Doubles City homestead exemption to 20%
Slightly Lowers the City’s tax rate
$134 million in property tax savings
31st consecutive year without city tax rate increase
The proposed budget doubles the City homestead exemption to 20% and slightly lowers the City’s tax rate. In all, the homestead exemption, senior and disabled exemptions, and senior tax freeze will save taxpayers $134.5 million, an increase from $95 million in FY 2023. That’s in addition to the State of Texas’ approved school property tax relief.
KEEP SAN ANTONIO SAFE
105 new police officers
32 new firefighters and paramedics
1 new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) unit
Doubles Animal Care Services dangerous dog team
3-year program to respond to all agressive, neglect and cruelty animal calls
To boost community safety, 100 new officers will enhance proactive patrols and 5 new officers will be assigned to the training academy to graduate more cadets. Thirty-two new firefighters and paramedics, one new EMS unit for fire station 40 and enhanced EMS coverage to the Southside of San Antonio after the closing of the Texas Vista Hospital.
Animal Care Services adds 15 positions to focus on the safety of our community and the wellbeing of our pet population. With the additional resources, the department will be able to cut response times to its roughly 3,500 annual bite cases nearly in half. ACS will increase compliance by owners of dogs that have been deemed dangerous by conducting additional inspections, and it will respond to more critical calls, including those that involve aggressive dogs, neglect, and cruelty. The budget implements year one of a 3-year program to respond to 100 percent of critical calls.
ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE
$137 million for safer streets & sidewalks
$11 million to repaint street markings every 3 years
3 year plan to add shades to 61 playgrounds across the City
700 homeless encampment cleanups
$41 million for affordable housing
3000 more pet rescues or adoptions
44,000 spay and neuter surgeries
The proposed budget invests $137 million in building and repairing streets and sidewalks and constructing voter-approved bond projects. $15.3 million will enhance street markings, crosswalks and traffic signals. It also cleans up non-service alleyways that are not used for trash pickup or utilities. It also introduces a 3-year program to install shades at 61 playgrounds across the city.
Our comprehensive approach to homelessness will make investments to clean up 700 encampments, shelter 400 individuals and keep people in their homes.
The City will focus on preserving affordable homes, expanding homeownership access and prioritizing Tenants’ Rights through a $41 million investment.
Nearly 14 new ACS positions will increase rescue opportunities and adoptions and promote responsible pet ownership. Funding is also added to achieve 44,000 surgeries in 2024.
IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE
New 311 team to ensure satisfaction
Adds staff to Good Neighbor Program & Dangerous Assessment Response (DART) Teams
Enhanced library cards available at 29 library branches
Four positions are added for the Good Neighbor Program and Dangerous Assessment Response Teams (DART). The overall goal of the programs is to bring properties into compliance and connect individuals with services when needed. The Good Neighbor program addresses single residential properties with 12 or more calls (911 and 311) in the past 90 days through a multi-departmental, coordinated approach. The Dangerous Assessment Response Team targets and abates commercial and residential nuisance properties that have a documented history of habitual criminal or code violations of at least two years.
The proposed budget also funds the Enhanced Library Card, which includes a photo of the library patron and will be available at 29 branch libraries.