Published: April 24, 2009 08:13 am      

Sales tax growth slows in Hudson Oaks

HUDSON OAKS — The Hudson Oaks City Council amended the city’s fiscal year 2008-09 budget Thursday night, reflecting a slower growth rate in sales tax collections.

The council voted unanimously to amend projected revenue and expense totals for the current budget year, which ends Sept. 30. The mid-year adjustment, made necessary by lower sales tax totals than originally budgeted, projects General Fund revenues of $2,045,728, a decrease of $150,240 from the original budget. Likewise, expenses related to the opening of the city’s new municipal complex on Lakeshore Drive, increased $44,695.

City administrator Sheri Campbell-Husband said the mid-year adjustment would give council members a more solid footing from which to begin the budgeting process for next years. The city had anticipated an 11 percent growth rate in sales tax collections for the current fiscal year, compared to 18 percent growth for FY 2007-08. Campbell-Husband said the slowdown in commercial development attributed to the current recession is the primary reason for the slower sales tax collection rate.

The city’s Enterprise fund, which includes city receipts for utilities, was not affected by the mid-year adjustment. In fact, Patrick Lawler reported city water revenues were up significantly in 2009.

Lawler said voluntary stage 1 water restrictions would be implemented with this month’s utility bills, scheduled to be sent out today. Year-to-date water usage for Hudson Oaks was 11 million gallons in 2009, vs. six million gallons in 2008. The main culprit has been the lack of rainfall in the area. He said daily usage had reached 90 percent of capacity a number of times this year already, and that voluntary restrictions were designed to cut usage from residents and businesses by 7 percent.

The city is asking residents to adjust water usage patterns, such as watering lawns at night rather than during the day.