Austin Set To Increase Wages, Hire 113 Employees in 2011

The City of Austin released its proposal for a budget for the fiscal year of 2011. One detail regarding the budget proposal will come as a pleasant surprise to Austin residents: there will be no layoffs for city staff. The City of Austin’s staff has even more to celebrate, because the new proposed budget includes raises for civilian and public safety city employees, as well as new hires.
Though city employees will keep their jobs, and some may even get raises, the budget does include a hike in property taxes.

The proposed increased tax rate is 45.71 cents per $100 of assessed value, which would be up from where it sits currently at 42.09 cents.

“It’s more than a full penny below the maximum tax rate,” said City Budget Officer Ed Van Eenoo.

Civilian employees can anticipate 2.5 percent wage increases, and public safety employees, including the police, fire, and emergency medical service departments can expect to see their wages rise by 3 percent.

The budget also offers funding to hire 113 new city employees, 90 of which are in the public safety department.