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Travis County Commissioners Court approves FY 2022 budget

By FOX 7 Austin Digital Team
Published  September 30, 2021 3:22pm CDT
Travis County
FOX 7 Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - The Travis County Commissioners Court has unanimously approved and adopted the county's proposed fiscal year 2022 budget.

The $1.4 billion budget goes into effect on Oct. 1 and includes investments in mental and behavioral health, elections and emergency response.

Highlights of Travis County’s annual general fund operating costs include:

  • Health & Human Services: $79.7 million
  • Public Safety: $117.4 million
  • Community & Economic Development: $21.6 million
  • Infrastructure & Environmental: $41.1 million

In addition to the annual general fund operating costs, the Commissioners Court included funding for the following priority projects in the FY 2022 budget:

  • Robust Elections Office ($5.8 million): Ensuring safe and accessible elections through an expanded budget that will allow for the purchase of new technology and additional staff
  • Mental Health Services ($5.1 million): Expanding services for mental and behavioral health care, with a focus on community-based prevention services
  • Emergency Services ($1.1 million): Expanding the County's emergency response system, including wildfire mitigation, comprehensive emergency, and disaster crisis management
  • Overdose & Medication Assisted Treatment ($175K): Addressing the opioid epidemic by increasing the budget from $75k to $250k for life-saving methadone and medication assisted treatment
  • Permanent Supportive Housing ($600K): Investments in housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness with a focus on people who intersect with the criminal justice system
  • Deaf Services ($89.8K): Providing translation services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing
  • Housing Services ($89.3K): Keeping elderly and disabled people in their homes by assisting with needed home repairs
  • County Internship Program ($90K): Investing in future leaders at local universities and colleges through paid county internships, with a focus on improving diversity and equity.

View a synopsis of the budget here.

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