College Station unveils $474.2 million FY 2026 proposed budget with public‑safety hiring and capital adjustments

The City Manager and budget staff presented the City of College Station’s FY 2026 proposed budget on July 27, 2025, describing a $474,225,698 plan that staff said represents a 51.74% decrease in capital appropriations and a net budget decrease of 12.42% from the prior year. Mary Ellen, speaking for the City Manager’s Office during the council’s special meeting, said the document is intended to be sustainable over a five‑year horizon and to reflect changes from the state, federal government and Texas A&M University.

The proposed budget reflects preliminary taxable values from the Brazos Central Appraisal District. Staff reported net taxable value up 15% year over year, with about 3% new value added inside city limits; average single‑family taxable value rose about 4.5%, multifamily valuations rose about 31% and commercial valuations rose about 22%. Those valuation changes, combined with the tax rate the council sets, determine expected ad valorem revenues.

“The Proposed Budget … is $474,225,698,” Mary Ellen said during the presentation. Staff also provided an estimated proposed tax rate of 48.743 cents per $100 of assessed valuation as the starting point for council discussion and noted that the estimate includes decreases in both the operations and maintenance portion and the debt service portion of the rate.

Why it matters: the general fund pays core services — primarily police and fire — and staff told the council ad valorem taxes make up roughly 25% of general‑fund revenue and sales tax about another 25%. The presentation emphasized the council’s discretion over the tax rate and the timing of legal…