$9.6 million budget adopted; 2-cent tax rate maintained
An average homeowner in the city of Bee Cave will likely pay $7 more in property taxes this year.
The increase reflects the rising property values across the city. The City Council adopted a tax rate of 2 cents per $100 of taxable value on Sept. 11.
The effective rate, or the rate the city could charge that would generate the same amount of money as the previous year, was 1.79 cents per $100 of taxable value. The city adopted 2 cents, which is .0021 percent increase on the tax rate. Bee Cave has maintained a 2-cent property tax rate for more than 10 years.
The $9.57 million budget will include money for new police vehicles, City Hall, park and road improvements, a development code update and an increase to police officer compensation.
Police Department expenses include $110,000 for two new patrol units and in-car video systems. The city plans to buy two current-model police package vehicles to replace aging Ford Explorers. The Explorers have approximately 90,000 miles on them and will be re-purposed as a detective car and a travel car, and the current detective and travel cars will be retired.
The $100,000 salary compensation will be used to raise the starting salary for a patrol officer to $45,500. The city offers $41,000 a year and is short three officers, officials said, causing the need for overtime. Chief Gary Miller said a slight increase to the starting salary would help recruitment and retention efforts, and keep the department competitive with other area agencies.
“A majority of our officers aren’t going to live in Bee Cave because they can’t afford to buy an average home here,” Miller said. “So, they’re driving from Leander or Austin, past half a dozen other departments to get here who will probably hire them, especially after they’ve been here a few years. Its makes it hard to keep those employees. We have to be willing to offer something that other agencies don’t.”
Updating the city’s development code was also approved totaling $75,000. City Manager Clint Garza said the money would allow staff to improve the city’s development code. Developers have complained of inconsistencies and outdated rules in the code. The city will hire a professional codifier to go through and consolidate the code. Garza said city staff will go out for request for qualifications, bring back firms for selection and negotiate a contract with council approval.
“We will have to come back next year to finish the process, but this will get us through the year,” Garza said. “This will take over a year to (complete).”
The City Council also approved a site plan for the Kiddie Academy day care that will sit on the corner of Texas 71 and Vail Divide Drive on a 1.612-acre lot within the Bella Colinas Commercial subdivision.
According to city documents, the site plan proposes one building, a fenced playground, a parking lot, ponds, utilities and landscaping. The building will consist of 11 classrooms, two office rooms, a restroom and a small kitchen and lounge. The facility is designed for a maximum of 190 students and 20 teachers. The site makes room for 38 parking spaces.