Budget & Strategy

Financial Leadership

Financial leadership that is conservative and resilient provides a foundation that balances economic uncertainties and new opportunities to provide residents with exceptional value, confidence and transparency. The focus of this year’s budget is an investment in strategic priorities and services that provide high value to the Sugar Land community today and into the future.  

To stay relevant and preserve the quality of life for current and future residents, we’ve identified a vision for future success.  

• Sugar Land is a leader in financial management, providing our taxpayers with exceptional value, confidence, and transparency. Our focus is on resiliency and adaptability, innovation, efficiency and superior bond rating. 
• Sugar Land is a safe community that enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors. 
• Sugar Land is focused on re-invigorating entrepreneurial spirit to keep us moving forward. We recognize that the future starts now and are committed to engaging the community to re-imagine our city. 
• Sugar Land delivers a broad range of destination venues, facilities, and businesses that offer entertainment and activities for residents and visitors. 
• Sugar Land builds relationships within our community through engagement efforts. 
• Sugar Land continues to maintain and develop comprehensive, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure that adapts to a dynamic environment.  
• Sugar Land takes a multifaceted approach by innovating mobility to connect people, places and the future through sustained investment, regional partnerships, engagement and technology.  
• Sugar Land is respected for having strong relationships with our community and at all levels of government because we are transparent and deliver on our public commitments. 

Priorities for FY23 include investments in our championship workforce, public safety, infrastructure and continued implementation of voter-approved G.O. Bonds that address community priorities such as drainage, mobility and public safety to help us meet our community’s needs now and into the future. We must seek to stay relevant and preserve the quality of life in Sugar Land for our residents. The budget provides for future success and ensures continued financial strength and resiliency through a long-range financial plan that meets all fund balance and bond coverage requirements.  

Public Safety Investment

The budget includes the addition of new positions targeted to enhance public safety services. New equipment is budgeted as well as replacement of aging equipment, upgrades to technology and facility improvements across the City.  

Personnel Changes

As a service provider, the City's budget is driven by personnel costs- approximately 70% of the budget comes from personnel providing services from Public Safety to Public Works. The FY23 budget advances the last phase of the Public Safety Compensation plan. New positions support Fire/EMS, Fleet, Police, Tourism, Utilities, Grants, Engineering, Planning & Economic Development. 

Increases to benefits costs are fully funded by the City to offset employee increases, and salary structures will adjust by CPI- which do not result in across the board increases. With continued inflationary pressures, compensation will continue to be evaluated into FY23 and beyond - to ensure the City can effectively recruit, retain and fairly compensate employees.