News Flash

Proposed budget deliberations continued tonight as City Manager Ron Olson delivered the General Fund overview to City Council then called on department heads to present their department and division budgets.

The General Fund is supported primarily through property and sales taxes and funds services like public safety, parks, libraries and general government functions. The fund is balanced with $84 million of planned revenue and expenditures and a projected ending fund balance of 26.22 percent.

While the General Fund is balanced, future projections show a widening gap between revenues and expenditures. Killeen continues to grow in population; however, revenue per capita is not growing at the same rate leaving an increased demand for services without a commensurate level of funding. Because the fund depends on property tax revenue, the disproportionate impact of veterans exemptions is contributing to this gap.

General Fund departmental presentations were made by the City’s Legal Department, City Auditor, City Manager, Communications Department, Community Development Department, Community Services Department, Finance Department, Fire Department, Planning and Development Department and Police Department.

Budget discussions will continue August 21 with enterprise fund presentations to include Aviation, Drainage Utility, Solid Waste, Water and Sewer, Debt Service, Capital and Special Revenue funds.

Olson delivered 927-page proposed Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Budget to City Council August 7 in accordance with the City Charter. Deliberation is expected to continue through budget adoption scheduled September 18. Fiscal Year 2019 will begin October 1, 2018 and end September 30, 2019.

A central budget webpage, KilleenTexas.gov/Budget, contains links to all documents, presentations, notices and videos in one location. In addition to viewing materials, the public is encouraged to engage in the process by attending budget workshops and participating in the budget public hearing September 4.