CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News)—A slight property tax rate decrease is likely in Katy as city officials began work on the 2024-25 city budget Monday, voting unanimously to consider a proposed property tax rate of $0.425 per $100 evaluation, a $0.005 decrease from the current $0.430 rate.
City leaders will hold a budget workshop at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. City Administrator Byron Hebert will present the proposed budget, which is posted on the city’s website.
The Katy City Council will review the budget and tax rates in a series of public hearings during the first part of September. The council is expected to adopt both at its Sept. 23 meeting.
The council voted Monday for the IT director position. Human Resources Director Rachel Garcia says the new director will not join the city until after Oct. 1, when the new budget takes effect. Having a city IT department and a director are part of the city’s strategic plan.
In a memo to the city council describing the position, City Administrator Byron Hebert said the position is responsible for leading the city’s technology strategy and overseeing the overall technology operations.
“This role involves strategic planning, managing IT staff, overseeing enterprise systems, data centers, networks, security, disaster recovery, internet services, and providing high-technical support,” Hebert said.
Ward B Council Member Gina Hicks said Garcia, Hebert, and other city officials have been working on establishing such a position and identifying the skills needed for it, for some time. The city’s IT consultant, TrueNorth, was also part of this process.
“I’m excited this is finally happening,” Hicks said. “We need to make sure we have the right people in place.”
Ward A Council Member Dan Smith shared Hicks’s excitement, saying that it shows Katy coming into the 21st Century. The technology helps Katy residents, and it helps city employees, which also goes to helping residents, Smith said.