Despite Budget Pressures, Mayor Gunter Won't Raise City Property Taxes

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo City Council held a budget workshop on Tuesday morning to discuss the 2017-2018 budget for San Angelo. 

The session began with discussing the General Fund, which is comprised of property tax and sales tax. 

San Angelo Mayor Brenda Gunter suggested the council members agree to keep the City's tax rate at 77.6 cents per $100 of property valuation. 

Tina Dierschke, the City's financial director, presented the proposed Personnel expenses for the upcoming budget discussion. She made a point to address the San Angelo Fire Department (SAFD) request for eight additional ambulance staff and the San Angelo Police Department's (SAPD) request for five additional officers. 

The following is the proposed expenses:

• Fire salary — $738,728
• Police salary — $119,473
• Additional ambulance staff — $432,168
• Additional five police officers — $319,815

San Angelo Fire Chief Brian Dunn set out the priorities for the SAFD by asking for an additional ambulance staff, which would cost $432,168 for the 15 months worth of training and equipment cost.

He prioritized the idea that as San Anglos' population ages it will definitely generate the need for more ambulance runs.

SAFD currently has five staffed ambulance crews, and having the additional ambulance staff would help elevate the process of "shutting down" a fire truck to help with staffing those ambulances. The runs are so in demand that this procedure needs to be used during peak times, "meaning all five ambulances have a patient," Dunn said.

The problem with shutting down a fire truck for the ambulance coverage means part of the City is left without fire suppression. 

San Angelo Chief of Police Frank Carter outlined the need for additional officers for the purpose of facing property crime in hot spots, like Santa Rita area. He cited that the same 20 percent of property crimes offenders will turn around and commit the same charge again after being released from jail. 

The number of possible recruits from the last pull was 52 and that was reduced to 20 recruits from the physical assessment, written portion, and background checks performed. 

Chief Carter voiced that he would want to 10 new police officers, but would settle for the 5 officers set aside by the City's current budget proposal. 

The salary discussions between the City and SAPD will be underway at the next Meet and Confer starting Wednesday, Aug. 23. The discussions will continue through August before reaching the deadline for the new contract on Sept. 30.

The next City Council meeting for the proposed budget is Sept.5. with the final approval on Sept. 19. As always, the regularly scheduled meetings are open to the public and are held the first and third Tuesday of every month at the McNease Convention Center at 501 Rio Concho Dr.