Austin City Council discusses 2021 tax levy at Monday work session

The Austin City Council discussed the city’s tax levy for 2021 with City Administrator Craig Clark during a work session following their regularly scheduled meeting Monday evening.  Clark stated to the council in a memo that the council’s budget working group met recently to discuss the city’s budget in light of concerns with two positions slated for layoff outlined in the council’s latest approved budget discussion on July 6th.  Clark stated that the group met on July 24th and suggested that the council move from a 4% levy increase to a 6% levy increase to save two positions from layoff.  Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm spoke with KAUS during the “Meet the Mayor” segment on “Wright Here, Right Now” and stated that the council will try to keep the levy at 4%….

Clark went on to state in the memo that additional funds will be used from budget reserves as two positions account for approximately $80,000 for salary and benefits and a percentage on the levy is $71,500.  The city must set its final tax levy for 2021 by September 30th, after that point, the levy can be lowered, but not raised.  The city’s final tax levy for 2021 will be approved by the council at the city’s Truth in Taxation Hearing in December.