HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner presented the proposed budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Turner announced the proposed budget for all funds is a total of $5.1 billion, which is an increase of $227 million from the 2021 budget.
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The spending plan also outlined funding for police, fire and other city departments and city services. This outline included a pay increase for Houston firefighters.
Mayor Turner tells me the proposed budget for 2022 has no plans for any kind of layoffs in the city for FY 2022 and 2023. https://t.co/CSilmiLfTu
— Mario Diaz (@KPRC2Mario) May 11, 2021
According to Turner, the money was made available by the Biden Administration, and “based on the advisory that we received yesterday, we’ll be in a position to provide a pay raise that the city can afford.”
Turner said the budget took a major hit because of the pandemic, and that, combined with a property tax revenue cap put the city at a $201 million budget shortfall. However, Turner said his proposed budget will close the gap.
Turner told KPRC 2 Investigates the proposed budget also includes no city layoffs for at least the next two years.