Austin Metric

The most important policy themes going into the adoption of the new City budget.

The City’s general fund spending has increased faster than resident income.

1. Growth Dividend? The City's revenue generation approach is about to start a multi-year march towards a more regressive state as a result of …

The proposed 2015-2016 City of Austin budget increases the number of sworn police officers per capita.

I previously discussed some of the problems with the PERF police staffing study that recommended a significant increase in sworn personnel (PDF.html). Some readers were surprised that the study actually recommended a further …

A budget proposal that lowers new taxes while enhancing affordability and equity.

The "Better Budget" proposal mixes cuts, spending shifts, and new programs to improve public investment outcomes while reducing overall taxation and spending levels relative to the staff-proposed budget.  The specific changes are outlined below.

1. $8.1 million …

The study justifying substantial increases in Austin's police staffing doesn't present any evidence that its recommendations are the most effective way to reduce crime.

Public safety has grown dramatically as a share of total City government spending. The shift happened between 1995-2005. This table is from the 2005 City of …

The percentage-based homestead exemption is an unfair tax shift that will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest homeowners.  More effective affordability alternatives should be pursued instead.

The "Save our Mansions" homestead exemption reduces taxes based on a percentage of a homestead's value.  Therefore, a $2,000,000 homestead value would get ten …