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Commissioners adopt preliminary budget baseline; fourth revenue estimate adds about $2.09 million in resources
Summary
The court approved a preliminary budget baseline for FY2026 and reviewed the auditor's fourth revenue estimate, which raised general‑fund available resources by about $2.09 million. Staff presented recommended technical changes that leave the county with roughly $1.65 million available for markup: $881,000 ongoing and $767,000 one‑time.
The Travis County Commissioners Court on Sept. 3 approved the preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget to establish a baseline for budget markup. County Budget staff said a fourth revenue estimate from the county auditor increased general fund available resources by about $2,091,723 compared with the third estimate used to build the preliminary budget.
Alex Braden, assistant budget director, told the court the fourth estimate put total general‑fund available resources at approximately $1,558,075,557. Of the $2.09 million increase, staff said about $895,029 is ongoing and roughly $1,196,694 is one‑time. After recommended technical changes, reclassifications and previously approved adjustments, staff said the court would begin markup with $1,648,640 available for reallocation: $881,006.60 ongoing and $766,971 one‑time.
Braden walked through three categories of changes: previously approved court actions that shift timing (for example, moving approved 2025 earmarks into departmental budgets), cost‑neutral technical corrections, and other adjustments (including transfers related to the newly created Department of Technology and Operations and some capital credit reallocations). The court approved the recommended changes by voice vote.
Court members and staff also discussed reserves in the preliminary budget. Gatlin noted a new disaster reserve, detailed in a separate article, and staff highlighted that transfers made in response to the July flood had already reduced available resources for FY2026, requiring some capital and project adjustments.
The court scheduled the required public hearings: a hearing on the tax rate on Sept. 16 and a public hearing and vote on budget adoption on Sept. 30. Staff said they would publish the required legal notices and noted the adopted budget will be based on the auditor's final (fifth) revenue estimate.
Why it matters: The preliminary budget baseline and the changes approved on Sept. 3 set the envelope for markup decisions that will fund departments, compensation changes and one‑time projects. The size and split of ongoing versus one‑time resources will constrain what the court can commit to long‑term.
