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October 1, 2003
<br />Honorable Mayor and
<br />Members of City Council
<br />City of La Porte, Texas
<br />Dear Mayor and Members of City Council:
<br />In accordance with the City's Charter provisions, it is my pleasure to present the City of La Porte's Fiscal Year 2003-
<br />04 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program. This document, as delineated on the pages that follow, was
<br />formally adopted by Council at its regularly scheduled meeting of September 8, 2003. The budget is the document the
<br />City uses in its mission to provide services and to improve the quality of life of its citizens. At that time, Council
<br />authorized appropriations for the City's various activities in the following amounts:
<br /> FY 2002-03 FY 2003-04
<br /> ADOPTED BUDGET ADOPTED BUDGET
<br />
<br />General Fund 26,187,58225,321,922
<br />Utility Fund 6,752,2416,957,144
<br />Enterprise Funds 2,579,7092,627,340
<br />Internal Service Funds 6,245,9687,438,882
<br />Capital Improvement Funds 9,933,36111,785,268
<br />Debt Service Funds 3,923,5283,621,432
<br />Hotel/Motel Fund 214,100224,100
<br />Community Investment Fund 400,000120,000
<br />La Porte Development Corporation 2,609,3331,715,000
<br />Tax Increment Reinvestment 30,500 30,000
<br />Total Authorized Operations 58,876,32259,841,088
<br />The figures outlined above represent a $964,766 or 1.64% increase when compared to last year's budget. The growth
<br />of this year’s budget is primarily attributed to meeting increased cost of health services, insurance, and funding
<br />significant capital improvement projects. We would like to mention and are especially pleased that there are no tax
<br />rate increases.
<br />Embodied in this document are key principles, which are important to the City’s long-standing commitment to having
<br />a sound budgetary and financial program. The priorities of La Porte’s city government are many. This year’s budget
<br />is built around the following themes: (1) continue providing the best services at lowest cost, (2) stabilize revenue
<br />streams necessary to protect City assets, (3) expand funding for economic development, (4) technology, (5) Northside
<br />project, (6) Youth Programs, (7) Hike/Bike Trails, (8) enhanced demolitions, (9) customer service, and (10)
<br />communication improvements. It continues to provide a high level of service to the entire La Porte community, and at
<br />the same time, is designed to keep ad valorem taxes at the same rate as in prior years.
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