Sugar Land amends FY25 budget, adopts FY26; parks director outlines event funding shift

Sugar Land officials voted to amend the fiscal year 2025 budget to reflect lower assessed property values and adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget, which includes projected incremental revenues of about $2.26 million.

The amendment to the FY25 budget and adoption of the FY26 budget were approved by voice vote after staff presented updated assessed values, estimated tax revenues and a brief summary of proposed FY26 expenditures. Kimberly, director of parks and recreation, also briefed the body on the city's upcoming events and explained that those events will be funded from the special events fund rather than the tourism fund for FY26.

City staff said the FY25 amendment responds to a net decline in certified assessed value and changes in exemptions. The presentation noted an assessed-value decrease of roughly $5,300,000 on the certified roll and a set of additional homestead and over-65 exemptions added to the roll. "We did see the assessed value come down by about 5,300,000.0," a finance staff member said during the presentation. The staff member also said the city adopted a tax rate of 35.321…