The rain has been coming often this Spring and it’s beginning to have an impact on the City of Brownwood budget.  Water sales are down considerably.

In his report to City Council Tuesday morning, Walter Middleton from the City Finance Department, said water consumption is down 16 percent which means a substantial loss of revenue.   “We will need to discuss and address that during the budget sessions for this next year,” Middleton said.  “Revenue is down, compared to budget, by a little over $300,000 and that is a very large number for us,” Middleton said.

To offset the loss, ad-valorem tax revenue is up almost $200,000.  Sales tax revenue through May is a little higher than last year at this time.  Sewer revenue is down $290,000 compared to the prior year, in part from lower winter sewer averages and partly from the loss of sewer revenue from the City of Early.  Overall, city revenue through the month of April is down $232,000 from last year.

Middleton went on to say the City has been able to save some money on expenditures through reduction in payroll spending as the City has several positions unfilled at this time.  Given all this, the City still has a $2.9 million dollar surplus through seven months of this budget year, but that is also down from $3.7 million this time last year.