White House staff presents FY 2025–26 budget; council proposes tax rate, schedules public hearing

City staff presented a proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget to the White House City Council on Aug. 5 and the council proposed a total tax rate that it set for public hearing on Sept. 23. The presentation included staff projections that the city’s certified net taxable value increased just over 10 percent, with $22,000,000 of that increase attributed to new construction. “We did show our net taxable value increased just over 10%, which was right in line with what we were anticipating and expecting in our general fund for revenues. 22,000,000 of that is in new construction value,” a staff member said in the presentation. Staff described the proposed budget as structurally balanced and noted key items: a recommended 3% cost-of-living adjustment for all staff, targeted pay adjustments for certain leadership positions, capital spending tied to completion of City Center, continued investment in street and stormwater maintenance and a recommendation to issue $15,000,000 in certificates of obligation for capital needs. Staff also said sales tax revenue assumptions remain flat and that the city is monitoring potential water-rate impacts from the City of Tyler before finalizing utility rates. On the property tax calculation, staff said the city’s no-new-revenue rate for 2025–26 is 0.67 per $100 of valuation, the voter-approval rate is 0.77, and the proposed tax rate is 0.717855 per $100 of valuation (comprised of 0.428003 for maintenance and operations and 0.289852 for interest-and-sinking). Staff explained that although the proposed rate is unchanged from the current year, required statutory notices must include the percentage change in budgeted property tax revenue compared with the prior year because assessed value increased. The council moved to propose the tax rate and set a public hearing. Councilman Zach Briscoe made the motion to propose a total tax rate of 0.717855 per $100 of valuation and to set a public hearing at 6 p.m. Sept. 23, 2025, at 311 East Main Street; Councilman Michael Lowe seconded. The council took a recorded vote and the motion passed unanimously. Other budget details discussed included plans to maintain 3–4 months of operating reserves for the general fund, vehicle-replacement funding and a noted grant-funded comprehensive plan not yet included in the budget (a General Land Office grant for planning). Staff said they will return with any required rate adjustments for utilities after the city of Tyler announces its water-rate decision. The council’s next steps: formally propose the budget at a later meeting, hold the budget public hearing on Aug. 19 and the tax-rate public hearing and adoption steps in September to meet regulatory timing requirements; the fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Ending note: staff emphasized the budget’s focus on long-term fiscal stability and capital planning while maintaining service levels.