By Andy Sevilla.
In a nod to the city’s booming growth, Mayor Lucy Johnson said Kyle exceeded sales tax revenues every month this fiscal year when compared month by month over last year.
Johnson was speaking to Kyle Chamber of Commerce members in Tuesday’s “State of the City” address – her last one before she leaves office in May.
| New businesses in Kyle | |
Just opened • ACC Hays Campus • Bank of America • Dessert Diva Cakes • InnerScapes • Plum Creek Bread Basket C-Store • Safe and Sound Storage • Tammy Kelley Photography • Austin ENT • Crystal Kent, Counseling • Cross Plants and Produce • Your Home Health • Browning Family Chiropractic & Wellness | Coming soon • Advanced Auto Parts • Amazing Ice Designs • Baskin Robbins • Carl’s Jr. • EVO Entertainment Facility • Dunkin’ Donuts • East Chinese Buffet • Mitchell Motor Sports • O-Reilly Auto • Sleep Experts • Wal-Mart • Evans Medical Building • New Haven Assisted Living Center • Warm Springs Rehab Hospital |
As of this month, she said, Kyle already has reached that $2.2 million mark only six months into the present fiscal year. In fiscal year 2013, Kyle collected more than $4 million in city sales taxes, the largest annual collection in the city’s history. To put that in perspective, Johnson said fiscal year 2008 -when she joined the council brought in $2.2 million in sales taxes.
Property values also are on the rise, she said, increasing $74 million last year, up five-percent from 2012. Citywide, property valuations top $1.5 billion.
“It’s Kyle’s people who are enabling our city to become, and in many ways already is, a flagship community for other cities within Texas to look to,” Johnson said.
And noting Kyle’s explosive population growth in the last decade, Johnson said 2013 was a crucial year in addressing mobility concerns.
“The substandard conditions of many of our local roads, both in terms of capacity and quality, really do negatively affect driving conditions and contribute to unsafe driving and increased accidents,” she said.
In fiscal year 2013, the city set up its first-ever road maintenance fund. Voters also approved a $36 million road bond in May set to improve five city streets, with the first scheduled reconstruction slated to begin in 2015.
But, Johnson said, there is one big transportation decision council will take on this spring, which can affect generations to come – Lone Star Rail District.
LSTAR is proposing a $2 billion system connecting Austin and San Antonio, providing commuter rail between the two metroplexes and cities in between.
To join in, Kyle would have to give up 50 percent of its future property and sales tax for the next 80 years. In exchange, the city would get a train station and local access to rail.
“I urge members of the chamber to contact city council and let them know how you feel about Lone Star Rail,” Johnson told the crowd of about 160. “Austin and San Marcos have already passed preliminary agreements, and I hope that Kyle doesn’t get left out of the loop.”
Johnson’s was first elected, at age 24, to city council in 2008, and as mayor in 2010.
“I have really enjoyed my time in the past six years as a member of the Kyle city council,” Johnson said. “…Sometimes I feel like I don’t know why you let a 24-year-old on council, but I’m so very glad you did.”
She continued, “I’ve had the time of my life learning how to be the best mayor I possibly could. And I can’t tell you how intoxicating it feels when you know that the vote you just took (on council) is going to better the lives of 30,000 people. I’m so happy to have been your mayor.”
