Leon Valley council adopts 0.54504 property tax rate to cover budget shortfall, fund public safety

LEON VALLEY, Texas — The Leon Valley City Council voted 3–2 on Sept. 20 to adopt a property tax rate of 0.54504 for fiscal year 2025–26, allocating 0.497818 for maintenance and operations and 0.047222 for interest and sinking. Councilors who supported the measure said the increase was necessary to cover a significant drop in taxable value and to fund additional public-safety personnel. The vote followed public comments urging the council to prioritize police, fire and emergency medical services and a sustained council debate over alternatives and reserves.

The adopted rate, the council was told, exceeds the no-new-revenue rate and was presented as a response to an estimated $46 million reduction in the city’s taxable value. Councilor Ivana Orozco moved the 0.54504 rate; the motion passed with three ayes and two nays. The council recorded its votes as: Councilor Bolton — no; Councilor Hile — no; Councilor Campos — yes; Councilor Roscoe — yes; Councilor Mersch — yes.

City staff and councilors described the adoption as an attempt to stabilize ongoing operations without relying on one-time reserves. Councilor Victor Campos summarized the city’s revenue mix, saying the city relies heavily on property-tax…