San Juan adopts 2025–26 budget after extended public comments on taxes, water and services

The San Juan City Commission approved an ordinance adopting the city budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025 and ending Sept. 30, 2026 after a second and final public hearing and public comment period.

City staff presented the budget at the second and final hearing and recommended adoption. After public commenters raised multiple questions and commissioners discussed the item, a motion to approve was seconded by Commissioner Gatson and carried by voice vote.

The hearing drew lengthy public comment about how the budget will affect residents. One resident who spoke during the hearing objected to language in the budget documents that said keeping the same tax rate would reduce taxes. The resident said, "keeping the same tax rate would decrease taxes" is inaccurate and warned that most taxpayers will see increases because property values rose. The speaker cited figures in the budget documents that, in the speaker's reading, showed the city collected about $8.2 million last year and expected about $8.9 million this year.

Public commenters also pressed the city on a police budget line labeled in the document as "immigration custom enforcement," which a speaker said had been increased from $2,000 to $15,000. City staff told the commission that the line refers to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) reimbursements and not a separate ICE task force. City staff said the wording will be corrected in the published documents because the printed budget had already been uploaded before the change could be made.

Speakers urged reallocating or increasing funds for several items they said were underresourced in the proposal. Comments included: requests to raise the proposed $48,798 for a grant writer and coordinator (a commenter recommended at least $100,000), concerns that library aide and administrative assistant salaries (listed in the budget at roughly $23,000–$26,000 in the document) are too low to be living wages, and calls to increase funding for mental-health services for police and crime-victim support. One speaker argued that the police fuel line — budgeted at $106,920 in the proposal — is already overspent for the current year (the speaker said $147,000 had been spent to date) and recommended raising the allocation.

Public comment also raised water-quality concerns. A commenter referred to a report by Joshua Morales and said readings for lead and copper were "at 90" (the commenter described that as near the EPA public-health goals) and that radium readings were at "74%" of the EPA maximum, saying those numbers merited investment in the water system. City staff did not dispute that the commenter raised water-quality issues but did not provide a detailed technical reply on the record during the hearing.

City staff reiterated that the public hearing is the formal opportunity for public comment. The staff presentation included the recommendation to approve the second and final reading of the ordinance adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025 and ending Sept. 30, 2026.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance adopting the city budget for fiscal year 2025–26: motion approved (second by Commissioner Gatson; voice vote; tally not recorded on the public record). The ordinance was presented at the second and final public hearing and adopted as presented, with staff noting that some printed language would be corrected after the hearing.

- Revised change order No. 1 for Ridge Road and The Grove subdivision street improvements (correction to include an alternative bid amount previously omitted from the change-order paperwork): approved (motion seconded; voice vote). Staff said the correction does not change the total pay the city will make; it adds numbers for an alternative bid that were not included in the original paperwork.

- Approval of the San Juan Economic Development Corporation (EDC) proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26: approved (motion seconded; voice vote).

- Interlocal agreement with the City of Wesseco (animal control operations and impound services): approved (motion seconded; voice vote). Staff noted the contract reflects a per-animal fee increase compared with prior years and that invoices for August and September had not yet been received.

- Resolution accepting voluntary annexation petition from Tayshia Group LLC for a 3.03-acre tract and directing staff to initiate annexation procedures under Chapter 43 of the Texas Government Code and the city charter: approved (motion seconded; voice vote). The resolution sets dates/times for required public hearings and directs the planning department to prepare a service plan.

- Consent agenda: approved (motion seconded; voice vote).

- Executive session action: following an executive session held under Texas Government Code Section 551.071 (consultation with attorney) concerning legal issues for event entertainment, the commission reconvened in open session and a motion was made and approved "as discussed in executive session"; the public record does not provide further details of the substance of that motion.

Context and what happens next

City staff said the budget ordinance adopted at the hearing covers the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025. Staff also indicated that printed wording in the uploaded budget will be corrected to rename a police reimbursement line to HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) where appropriate. Any implementation actions or department allocations identified in the ordinance move forward according to the city's normal administrative process and departmental budgets. Several public commenters asked the commission to revisit specific line items — including grant-writer pay, library funding, crime-victim services and water-system investments — as the adopted budget is implemented.

The public hearing and adoption concluded with a voice vote; no roll-call tallies were read into the record for the ordinance or the other voted items.