The El Campo City Council on Sept. 8 voted to postpone adoption of the fiscal‑year 2026 budget and scheduled a special budget workshop for Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., with final action on the budget set for the council’s Sept. 22 meeting.

Council members who supported the postponement said they wanted more time to review line items, explore cost‑saving options and consider ways to avoid a tax increase; one council member noted reductions already made in the draft budget and urged further discussion. City staff said state law and the city charter require the council to adopt a budget no later than Sept. 30, and staff recommended a workshop so council questions could be consolidated and addressed efficiently.

Discussion highlights: Council members asked for detailed line‑item review and suggested the city consider asking county entities to cover portions of services used by county residents, such as park use or emergency‑services communications. One council member pointed out the city reduced the demolition line item from roughly $40,000 last year to $5,000 in the current draft and described the general fund reduction of $232,000 that staff reported in the packet. Staff responded that the draft budget’s proposed tax increase is driven by a decrease in sales tax revenue rather than by added staffing or raises; staff noted it is preparing a health‑insurance redesign that will affect employees and that the council could adopt the budget and amend it later if necessary.

Motion and schedule: Councilman Hancock moved to postpone approval of the 2026 budget until the council had more time to discuss budget details; the motion was seconded and passed (vote recorded in the meeting as 5–1). The council scheduled a budget workshop for Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. and set Sept. 22 as the next regular meeting to consider adoption of the budget. Staff asked council members to submit questions ahead of the workshop so staff could prepare focused responses.

Why it matters: Delaying adoption preserves time for council oversight of a major annual financial decision and ensures the council meets legal notice and adoption deadlines while giving members additional opportunity to consider alternatives to a tax increase.

What to expect next: Staff will compile responses to council questions for the Sept. 15 workshop. The council must adopt the budget by Sept. 30 under the city charter and state law.