Pflugerville allocates $3.7 million in federal Relief Act funds to projects
The Pflugerville City Council voted unanimously to spend $3.71 million in federal funds to pay for projects that had been proposed as bond items in next year's budget.
The projects will support infrastructure, make sidewalks and trails more accessible and improve parking and lighting at 1849 Park.
The projects were previously included in an upcoming certificates of obligation bond issuance in the proposed fiscal year 2022-23 budget. By paying for these projects with American Rescue Plan Act funds instead of a bond, the city will save $2.2 million in interest payments over the next 20 years, officials said.
The $3.7 million will be allocated to the following projects:
$300,000 for a Police Department generator
$170,000 for paved American with Disabilities Act-compliant trails
$60,000 for unpaved ADA-compliant trails
$100,000 for public right-of-way sidewalk ADA program
$595,000 for lights at 1849 Park
$1.5 million for parking at 1849 Park
$85,000 for trail connectivity
$300,000 for a fiber ring project to provide connectivity at new city facilities
$600,000 for permitting software for Planning & Development Services, to replace their current software used for processing all development permits.
"I love this list," Mayor Pro Tem Doug Weiss said.
The city has to allocate the American Rescue Plan Act funds by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend the money by Dec. 31, 2026, according to city staff.
MORE: Pflugerville to distribute $920,000 to small businesses for COVID relief
On April 26, the council voted to distribute $920,000 from a second round of rescue act funds to small businesses affected by COVID-19 via its PfCares small business program grant.
Applications are open through Thuesday. Details on the program are available at bcloftexas.org/pcares.
The city launched the Pflugerville Cares Small Business Grant Program in 2020 to award $920,000 in federal grants to eligible businesses that were financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID relief funding from the CARES Act was allocated by Travis County,
Property tax exemptions
The City Council also unanimously approved to increase the property tax valuation exemptions for residents 65 and older and people with disabilities.
The exemptions for both groups will be raised from from $35,000 to $50,000, a 42% increase, effective next year. The council can repeal or increase the exemption in the future.
The current exemption of $35,000 had been set in 1998, when it was increased from $25,000, said Melissa Moore, the city's finance director.
Under the new exemption amount, officials said, an eligible homeowner with a home valued at $300,000 will pay approximately $73 less in city property taxes per year.
With the increased exemption, the city is projected to raise $140,000 less in property tax revenue in 2024.
"With the rate of inflation and cost of living ... I think this is a timely move for us since we hadn't done it in a while," Mayor Victor Gonzales said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Pflugerville allocates $3.7 million in federal Relief Act funds to projects
