City of Boerne’s proposed FY 2027 budget reduces spending, prioritizes public safety

The City of Boerne’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget was presented to City Council during its Tuesday, Aug. 11 budget workshop, marking the culmination of months of planning and financial analysis by City staff, according to the city’s website.  At $163.9 million, the proposed budget will reduce spending by 7.7 percent from the current FY 2026 amended budget.

The proposed budget reflects the City’s continued commitment to maintaining high-quality municipal services while investing in public safety and voter-approved capital projects.  “This budget continues to prioritize the services our residents expect while making strategic investments in the people and infrastructure that support our community,” City Manager Ben Thatcher said.  “We also challenged our departmental directors to reduce costs, and they found a combined $2.16 million in ongoing and one-time costs they could remove without impacting services.”

Tuesday’s workshop was the result of a budget development process that began earlier this year with City Council’s winter planning session and continued through a series of departmental and budget workshops throughout the summer.

The proposed FY 2027 budget, which runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, continues to build on the City’s long-term strategic priorities by:

~Supporting public safety services

~Opening the new Boerne Heritage Volkspark

~Investing in technology and cybersecurity improvements

~Providing high-quality municipal services while responsibly managing taxpayer resources

~Maintaining the City’s status as an employer of choice

The budget funds three new full-time parks service workers and three new seasonal attendants (half-time) to maintain new Boerne Heritage Volkspark.  The voter-approved park from the 2022 Quality of Life Bond Program represents the single largest investment in parks and open space in the City’s history.

To support the operations at the new 39-acre park, the budget proposes 4.5 new full-time equivalent Parks staff workers and seasonal attendants to supply daily operations and visitor services.  With nearly 1.2 million annual visitors to the City’s various parks, these additions will ensure the City is prepared to provide the level of service residents expect when the signature park opens in spring 2027.

The proposed budget also continues the City’s long-standing commitment to investing in public safety.  It includes funding for one additional Boerne Police officer to the patrol division to help meet the community’s growing public safety needs.  Additional funding is also proposed for Fire Department equipment to ensure first responders have the tools needed to continue providing exceptional emergency services.

The new fiscal year will also herald the beginning of construction on Fire Station No. 2 in the eastern portion of the Fire Department’s service territory.  As the area continues to grow, so too are calls for service, which increased 24.1 percent from the year prior, according to officials.  The department serves nearly 200 square miles in and around Boerne.

The City will be able to fund the 22,000-square-foot facility with cash and issuing $20 million in certificates of obligation.  The project will take between 14-18 months to complete and will not have an impact on the City’s tax rate.

The proposed FY 2027 budget includes investments in information technology infrastructure and cybersecurity enhancements to protect City systems and strengthen the City’s digital security posture.  These upgrades support the City’s continued efforts to safeguard critical services and information while improving operational efficiency.

The City says one of its continued priorities is attracting and retaining talented employees who deliver essential services every day.  The proposed budget includes a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for employees, along with merit increases based on performance.  It also accounts for a projected 9.2 percent increase in the City’s health insurance costs while continuing to provide competitive employee benefits.

The City says these investments help ensure the City of Boerne remains competitive in recruiting and retaining a highly qualified workforce in an increasingly competitive labor market.

The proposed FY 2027 budget includes a recommended .0074 increase to the City’s property tax rate from .4716 to .4790.  The recommendation comes as the City prepared for a steady rate in overall appraised property values while continuing to fund the municipal services, infrastructure, and public safety investments relied upon by residents.  Even with the increase in the tax rate, the City of Boerne portion of the average Boerne home’s tax bill will still decrease by more than $100 from $2,289 to $2,186.

The City of Boerne will hold two public hearings on the proposed budget and tax rate:

~Aug. 25, 2026 – First Public Hearing

~Sept. 8, 2026 – Second Public Hearing

Both hearings will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 447 N. Main Street.