Austin's proposed budget would have you paying roughly $22 more a month

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin’s new city manager T.C. Broadnax proposed another record-high city budget Friday at $5.9 billion. It’s a near 7% increase from the previous fiscal year of $5.5 billion.

What you have to pay to get the city to that budget amount concerned several speakers at Friday's council meeting.

"I ask you to really consider those people that are marginally getting along and to look at this budget like a family looks at their budget," one speaker said.

Here's how it breaks down for the average taxpayer:

"With the enterprise departments, as they were looking at the increases to their rates and fees it was for expanded growth so if they had growth in their customer base they had to address that growth," Kerri Lang, the city's budget officer, said. "We really tried to take a look at all of our rates and fees as well as our property tax bill to try to be as affordable as possible when we're looking at the total fees and bills for our community overall."

At least one city council member, Mackenzie Kelly, has said she thinks the burden on taxpayers is too high. She told KXAN she plans to release a list of budget items she believes should be cut.

"People in Austin are struggling with inflation and cost of living increases and so as a council I believe that we should be mindful of that in our budget decisions," she said.

You can find details on what's in that budget and where to give your input in KXAN's coverage here.