[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6488014,"mediaKeyId","5459538-bddae21b518ed60d052b943c57b3208c","parentId",5459538,"title","Council questions large police budget increase and transfer of magistration funding to APD","audioSeconds",800,"startMs",6040000,"endMs",6840000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5459538-bddae21b518ed60d052b943c57b3208c&start=6040&end=6840","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5459538-bddae21b518ed60d052b943c57b3208c/thumbnail_6040000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6488014/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Council-questions-large-police-budget-increase-and-transfer-of-magistration-funding-to-APD","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6488014-c930029b781bca7842c790eef7d6e948/orig.mp4?Expires=1770549343&Signature=Rz0E6n-q4AUmE9SHVK8CwtHUKdQTs2k6oOZsVld8mq8vxMbt7f~1xZf4DXzT2S~UnRy34aLRHvpCeL2X~H-RJJVHjyCxTpWZ-iAkB1DwxETcBtt8~YBU0bY1gycux77pApjFOJLLd2UJTgx8WFm4gMcDUrgCKjTeQMGf0BRx6DdV5XRVfEmiee9RLvNBeNepZNv0vHc1-swAqf50pfnBoKhX8hmRrH~a5-mxWXl~g4rdiJR9a~MVIerGY7ouN7U5Xcd~KNEHDPGjO2UtShZ4m-wygwvE7zKJj1yFRoasCxQ6ogfBNbuGRMNYSJbUr0t00f52fakpZ7Vz54nHdlfFBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-07-23T00:00:00Z","article","Austin City Council members sought detail July 23 after public speakers and staff highlighted a large year‑over‑year increase in Austin Police Department general‑fund spending.

City finance staff told council the department’s net general‑fund increase for FY26 reflects multiple items: sworn and civilian wage and benefit increases (including city retirement and a legacy police retirement payment), internal citywide cost allocations (facilities, technology and support services), and a new interlocal with Travis County for booking and registration services. Staff identified a $12.8 million increase in internal allocations and an 18.2 million increase in wages and benefits as key drivers.

Speakers at the work session also raised concerns about a staffing shift that moves funding for magistration and counsel‑at‑first‑appearance services into the police budget. Several community speakers and advocates urged the council to avoid placing those millions inside APD’s operating line because, as Peter Hunt of the Austin Justice Coalition put it, once money is moved into police allocations “it is very hard to get out.” Hans Maverick and others questioned which specific services the police department would perform to justify payments for magistration and counsel at first appearance.

City staff responded that budget lines follow services and that certain interdepartmental functions and court‑related processes have accounting and operational reasons for being allocated through APD this year. The manager’s budget document lists overtime reductions tied to a revised staffing model that partially offsets other increases.

Council members asked for an itemized breakdown of the police increase and the components of the new Travis County interlocal. Staff said they would follow up with a detailed line‑item memo including the legacy retirement payment, internal service allocations, technology and other operating changes.

No formal action was taken at the work session; staff will provide the requested detail ahead of council’s forthcoming budget decisions.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - City Council Budget Work Session - Jul 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff explained a sizable APD budget increase driven by wages, retirement contributions, internal service allocations and a new Travis County interlocal; advocates and speakers raised concern about moving magistration and counsel‑at‑first‑appearance funding into APD’s budget.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6488018,"Council hears calls to fund Homelessness Strategy Office; TRE scenarios outline options",5434,3206000,8640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5459538-bddae21b518ed60d052b943c57b3208c&start=3206&end=8640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5459538-bddae21b518ed60d052b943c57b3208c/thumbnail_3206000.jpg","/articles/6488018/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Council-hears-calls-to-fund-Homelessness-Strategy-Office-TRE-scenarios-outline-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6488018-fbb5a0f7a4668c55499d80d363ac9dcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770549343&Signature=E6CdyT29Lw4HFQeJDMExCrFXXVlWy4L5pMgCisWkzgJo6ZIA3Q5ifE37H~yk1fzOlViKHjDdaN5OAlNr~TfjNakP0frVuUqRkuVq9zS5OVgpfSMaLVGJeIjRMOONK2bUO3Cmpd8uFb7W~oCHsxLW-tzy36BpMAIVUgzn-YJHBeJtglR1yOoRypHEo5dngxRg5U5q557anHhbVETK6aX5duSBFfbi9H9s7JcRPThC~SQG~l1GnpSEbdYLG2NPOI7Fy8kqMNqP6NVSdzvvGA9zLdi8GCEtkd9Efeu~tfjgmBKLUDvlmXY9dwCCBoumxg3DEgOqxWYyC92Kwonet3hbug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Austin City Council members heard more than two hours of public testimony and staff briefings on July 23 about funding needs for the city’s response to unsheltered homelessness and how a possible tax rate election could pay for that work.

Director David Gray and other speakers said the Office of Homeless Strategies and Operations (HSO) needs additional ongoing resources to staff outreach, preserve shelter capacity and expand rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing. Gray told the council the proposed fiscal 2026 budget includes $51.5 million for HSO — including about $36.4 million in social-service contracts — and adds 12 positions for outreach and encampment management, plus ongoing funding for the Eighth Street shelter and one‑time support for the Marshall Yard.

The council heard from housing advocates and providers who said the proposed baseline budget is not sufficient to implement HSO’s full staff plan and the action framework the council endorsed earlier this year. Matthew Malika, executive director of the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, called the plan “strategic and actionable” and said the full implementation will require additional funding beyond the city manager’s base budget.

Council staff presented an eight‑scenario package of tax‑rate election (TRE) options that range from a single penny to higher multi‑penny increases. City staff said the smallest scenario (1¢) is largely targeted to immediate one‑time needs and balancing FY26, while larger scenarios add sustained annual revenue. Gray said many of HSO’s priorities — including shelter expansions, ongoing rapid rehousing and prevention — become viable in the midrange scenarios; he told the council the staff response’s recommended mix of investments is most closely matched by the 5¢ scenario.

Advocates at the meeting highlighted specific shortfalls. Aloki Shaw of United Workers/Integral Care and other providers said a recent temporary expansion of the 24/7 mobile crisis outreach team (EMCOT) was funded with one‑time dollars and needs permanent funding. Several speakers emphasized that ramps, emergency housing vouchers and time‑limited ARPA supports are ending, which will increase demand for locally funded tenant‑based vouchers and other subsidies.

Gray and HSO staff said the city is pursuing philanthropic and partner funding alongside council consideration of TRE options. Gray said the office has identified prevention, rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing as priorities; he told the council that scenario E (the 5¢ scenario in staff materials) lists $12 million for rapid rehousing from the city side, and HSO is urging other local funders to contribute as well.

The council asked staff for more detail on scenario timing and multiyear projections and for public‑facing transparency on contract performance in HSO programs. Staff said they will produce a contract transparency page and provide updates to committees and council memos. No formal votes were taken at the work session.

Local context: several provider speakers — including Caritas of Austin, ECHO and a coalition representing homeless service providers — urged council to pursue a TRE to fund the full response plan. City staff told council that a one‑time $14.1 million transfer from the budget stabilization reserve is used in FY26 to avoid cutting many social‑service contracts now; the FY27 forecast includes further reductions totaling $16.8 million unless other revenues are secured.

What’s next: City staff will present additional enterprise and CIP budget detail at the July 29 session; council will set a maximum tax rate under state Truth‑in‑Taxation rules on July 31 and decide whether to place a TRE on the ballot after further committee and council deliberations.

","Speakers and staff urged more ongoing funding for outreach, rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing; city staff outlined a multiscenario tax-rate election framework where larger scenarios (≈5¢) fund the full HSO plan.","actionData","errors"]

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Council questions large police budget increase and transfer of magistration funding to APD

Council hears calls to fund Homelessness Strategy Office; TRE scenarios outline options