Westlake City Council Approves FY2027 Budget

The City of Westlake's Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Budget, detailing projected revenues and expenditures, received approval from the City Council. The budget includes a General Fund and allocations for a Special Reserve Fund for Comprehensive Planning Services and a Special Reserve Fund for the Housing Assistance Program.

Property taxes form a significant portion of the General Fund's plan. For Fiscal Year 2027, the city projects $9,142,426 in Ad Valorem Taxes, an increase of $1,616,696, or 21.5%, from the $7,525,730 budgeted for Fiscal Year 2026. Special assessments are also expected to rise, with the Special Assessments-Tax Collector category projected to generate $1,218,977 for FY2027, up from $948,700 in FY2026.

The budget also outlines anticipated revenues from other sources. Public Service Taxes are expected to contribute $700,746 from electricity, $212,117 from water, and $179,592 from gas for FY2027. Franchise fees from FPL, gas, and solid waste services are also included. FPL franchise fees are estimated at $575,153 and solid waste franchise fees at $95,836 for the upcoming fiscal year.

The General Fund operates with a 4.60 millage rate. The comprehensive budget document provides detailed comparisons of assessment rates and summaries of revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balances for all funds, including the special reserve funds.