Page 50 - City of Mansfield FY22 Operarting Budget
P. 50

The  Strategic Plan  includes  revenues and expenditures for a period of ten years. The
                   objective of the forecast is simply to measure or guide the allowance of costs. Over the
                   ten-year forecast, revenues and expenditures are projected to increase considerably as the
                   population is expected to increase almost 37% over the next decade.  The City’s economy
                   is influenced some by the national  economy but  is more influenced by its population
                   growth and its economic  development programs.  Since the 1980 census,  the City’s
                   population has increased by more than 67,000 residents. During this time, the national
                   economy has moved through many economic cycles including the Great Recession, yet
                   the City’s  population has continued to grow because of its location in North Texas.
                   Growth over the next decade is expected to be more of a modest pace of growth in the
                   population and the number of new businesses moving into the community.

                   In forecasting revenues and expenses for the City’s General Fund and Water, Sewer Fund
                   into the future, Management projects revenue trends to average in a range of 4% to 6%
                   over the next ten years with expenses being controlled or managed to approximately 3%
                   to  5%  over the next ten years.   The  City could experience higher  cost of operations
                   because of  the effects of federal monetary policy, rising interest rates, energy prices,
                   commodity  prices,  labor markets, costs  of raw  water, and  the  costs  of  treating sewer
                   water.  Current spending patterns suggest that minimum costs could increase 3-5% year
                   over year, but these spending patterns are extremely subject to economic variables that
                   could easily  adjust the trajectory of presently  projected  spending pattern.  Detailed
                   projections by revenue source and spending purposes are provided in following tables.

                   Key Rates

                   Tax Rate projections over the next ten years predict the tax rate to remain constant or at
                   its current rate of $0.69 cents per $100 in assessed valuation of property within the City
                   of Mansfield, Texas, subject to legislative action and a 10% Homestead Exemption with
                   the potential for additional Homestead Exemption and tax rate reduction in future years.
                   Water and Sewer rates are expected to remain constant over the next ten years with the
                   exception of  potential,  modest rate increases year over year.  Modest increases are
                   expected to pay for the significant cost increases being passed along to the City for the
                   cost of delivering  raw  water to the City’s water treatment  facilities and the  cost  of
                   treating the City’s sewer water.  The City is closely monitoring these rate increases that
                   are being charged by Tarrant Regional Water District and Trinity River Authority to the
                   City for their capital improvement  programs.  These rates may or may not increase
                   depending upon the costs being passed along to the City’s customers.


                   Current Economy, Future Economy

                   The City has increased service expectations as it has adjusted service programs to meet
                   the current demand for services. Department heads have submitted and requested funding
                   that  is well beyond the City’s ability to fund  the requesting funding.  In an  effort to
                   maintain existing services,  the City has significantly reduced future spending
                   expectations because of the uncertainty in  the  national and global  economies.  All the
                   while, the City is seeing continued growth in its residential, commercial, and industrial

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