July 16
Manager proposes the new maximum
The City publishes a $6.6 billion plan at a $0.579530 rate, along with taxpayer-impact documents and departmental volumes.
What it costs
$6.6B
Adopted citywide budget, about $300M more than last year’s amended budget
$0.579948
Adopted City rate per $100. Above the $0.574017 voters rejected.
+$113.76
City's annual property-tax increase for its typical-home example
+$285.84
City's annual increase with rates and fees included
How this happened without a vote: Texas law lets a city adopt up to its “voter-approval rate” each year with no election. That rate is recalculated annually, and in 2026 it came out above the number voters rejected in 2025. Council took all of it. The budget passed 9–2; the tax-rate vote passed 8–2 with one member off the dais. See who voted for it.
Decision timeline
July 30
Max rate and audit item advance on the same day
Council approves the notice ceiling, holds a budget hearing, authorizes a $5.23 million efficiency-study contract, and sends the audit charter amendment (Prop I) to the November ballot.
August 12
Budget and rate adopted
$6.6 billion citywide, including a $1.5 billion General Fund, at $0.579948 per $100 taxable value.
November 3
Prop I on the ballot
Voters decide whether an independent efficiency audit becomes a charter requirement before any future tax-rate election. We say yes. Read the case.
Original proposal · July 16, 2026
The Manager proposed $6.6 billion and a $0.579530 rate, with a typical annual property-tax increase of $173.87 and combined tax-and-fee increase of $345.95. The adopted rate came in slightly higher, and the typical-home example came down because the City changed its example home rather than because anyone cut spending. These are historical proposal figures, kept as published.
How to read the homeowner figure
The $113.76 figure is the City's modeled change for its own typical taxpayer. Your City levy depends on your City taxable value. If your appraisal went up more than the City’s example, so did your increase. Run your own numbers. Your full bill also includes the school district, county, and other taxing units.
Adopted record
- August 12 adopted-budget announcement and typical taxpayer impact
- Official adopted rate, voter-approval rate and separate tax-rate vote
- Official budget documents and budget vote