Bellaire FY2021 Proposed Budget

The proposed City of Bellaire Budget FY2021 was presented to Bellaire City Council and Bellaire residents at the July 22, 2020, Council meeting.

Anticipated revenues are down due to the health crisis and an expected decline in property values. Therefore anticipated expenditures have been reduced by about 2%.  The remaining six million dollars of 2016 BBB bond funds are scheduled to be issued in 2021.  Here are some highlights:

For me, more review is required to deconstruct the 253 pages presented  at the meeting, and I will expand my research in the next month.  My first impression, however, is that we need deeper spending cuts, a more conservative fiscal policy, and concerted efforts to reduce our bonded debt.  And to stop leasing vehicles and losing others to floods.

Instead the current budget proposes more debt and less savings.  Is this a sustainable fiscal policy?

The first Budget Workshop is scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2020.  Probably Telephonic.

The second Budget Workshop is scheduled for Monday, August 17, 2020.  Probably Telephonic.  

A third Budget Workshop is scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2020.  Telephonie.

The fiscal year begins on October 1st, the new budget will be finalized and approved in September. 

Below are several versions of the budget.  The first contains only the budget, no verbiage and most of the charts, graphs, explanations, etc., have been removed.  The next contains the entire proposed budget.

FY2021_Proposed Budget_ONLY– 104 pages

Find the July 22, 2020 City Council Meeting Video Here

Bellaire’s Debt is $116.4 million as of 6/30/2020 with another $6 million in bonds still to be issued.   We have one of the highest per capita debts in the state.