Sugar Land City Council has adopted a $169.7 million budget for fiscal year 2008-09 based on a tax rate of 30 cents per $100 valuation. The budget year begins Oct. 1.
The budget also incorporates an increase in the residential homestead exemption that was approved by City Council to offset valuation growth. City Council reviewed the proposed budget through a series of workshops in August.
The budget includes limited additions and new services:
• Ten police officers are budgeted for the creation of a fifth patrol beat in the southwest part of the city. Beat 5 will provide service to the River Park area when it is annexed into the city next year and help the department maintain current service levels due to new development in Telfair and along U.S. 59.
●Increases to landscape maintenance and street lighting are planned along state routes.
●A series of events will honor the city's 50th anniversary in 2009.
• Expanded weekend hours at the city's new animal shelter and an enhanced animal adoption program will begin in October.
The adopted budget includes $40 million in capital projects, including:
• construction of drainage improvements in the Sugar Creek area;
• purchase of emergency generators for selected city facilities;
● improvements to Sugar Land Memorial Park;
• upgrade of traffic technology;
● upgrades to water plants; and design of fire station No. 7, Brazos River Park phase II, public works facility expansion, Dulles Avenue upgrade, University Boulevard extension, University Boulevard north bridge, surface water treatment plant and west wastewater treatment plant expansion.
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