Page 20 - HurstFY23AnnualBudget

APPROVED BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023

The Hurst Police Department has long been at the front of modern police services, such as being
a CALEA certified agency since 1990 and providing mental health licensing, training, and
coordination for their officers. Our commitment to Community Policing has long been supported
by our citizens and represents a model that many communities are currently considering. The
City of Hurst appropriately balances enforcement of the law with community connection.

In spite of budgetary constraints related to declining sales tax revenue associated with economic
uncertainty during the pandemic, Police services and programs were not reduced during the
pandemic. The Texas Legislature took measures to ensure the police departments across the

state were not “defunded” and impacted our local budget through an allocation of approximately
$1 million in reserves to ensure level funding in FY 2020-2021. Final legislative mandates to
ensure the stability of police funding impacted cities over 250,000 in population. But, the City of
Hurst prioritizes public safety and ensured that our budget continues to maintain a stable police
department budget.

Sales tax revenues rebounded in FY 2021-2022 and supported full operations without the use of
reserves. Sales tax trends also continue to support full operations in the Anti-Crime Fund. The
FY 2022-2023 budget includes an overall increase of 8.63% and is fully supported by sales tax

revenues. Budgeted increases include the wage increases outlined above with particular focus
on market-based wages adjustments, inflationary increases, and a modest increase in General
Fund support. Similar to the General Fund, this fund’s largest expense is personnel costs which
represents almost 60% of the total budget.

SUMMARY

Staff continues to appreciate Council’s strategic guidance and support of the annual budget
process. Similar to previous years, this process yielded a proposed budget that met the Council’s
vision and expectations with only minor changes from the proposed budget that only required
shifting of expenditures from one department to another but remained within the total budget
proposed to Council.

The City’s long-term focus on financial sustainability through the Hurst Way and Council’s
continued strategic leadership and annual strategic planning process has resulted in the City
establishing and maintaining a strong financial position across all funds. Staff presented a

conservative budget to City Council that includes restoration of programs and services to pre-
pandemic levels and furthers our goal to recruit and retain top talent across the organization
through a comprehensive total rewards program. While the General Fund budget was increased

20