Like so many other costs, city rates and fees are going up in the upcoming fiscal year, which starts in October. Overall, the projected yearly impact of all the fee increases will be $417 for the average homeowner in Austin. Those increases include fees for water, trash service, drainage, the Clean Community Fee and the Transportation User fee. The monthly charge from Austin Energy will also increase slightly, but the utility is lowering the overall customer bill by reducing the amount per kilowatt-hour used.
The city's Park and Recreation Department is seeking new funding solutions to address a $700 million maintenance backlog while expanding parkland without adequate resources.