AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Resolution 2025-184R, ratifying the property tax revenue increase in the budget for the fiscal year October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; and declaring an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: September 16, 2025
Department: Finance
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
Account Number: N/A
Funds Available: N/A
Account Name: N/A
Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: On February 27, 2025, City Council held a budget policy workshop and on March 18, 2025, Council passed Resolution 2025-53R, approving the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Policy Statement. The Budget Policy Statement provided guidance for the property tax rate to be kept between the current rate (60.30 cents) and the voter approval rate (69.41 cents). On August 19, 2025, the City Council set the maximum proposed tax rate for the FY 2026 budget at 67.69 cents, and set September 2, 2025, and September 16, 2025, as the dates to hold public hearings on the tax rate. On September 2, 2025, City Council passed Ordinance 2025-37,on the first of two readings, setting the tax rate at 67.69 cents.
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Background Information:
Texas Local Government Code §102.007(c), states that the adoption of a budget that will raise more revenue from property taxes than in the previous year requires a separate vote of the governing body to ratify the property tax increase reflected in the budget. The vote on this motion should be considered after approval of the budget ordinance on second reading and before the approval of the tax rate ordinance on second reading.
To address current and future funding challenges, the tax rate being proposed is 67.69 cents per $100 valuation. The proposed budget used the No-New-Revenue tax rate of 62.78 cents per $100 valuation. The No-New-Revenue tax rate does not address the estimated $2 million needed to continue providing Emergency Medical Services or the $1.1 million of expiring Federal funding.
Using the 67.69 tax rate, the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $6,825,017. Of that amount, $1,463,786 represents property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
N/A
Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
City Council approve the resolution ratifying the property tax revenue increase reflected in the budget for the Fiscal Year October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.