Plainview council approves first reading of $48.8 million budget and sets proposed property tax rate

Plainview City Council on Sept. 9 approved on first reading an ordinance adopting a proposed $48,800,000 budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and set a proposed property tax rate of 0.7352 per $100 valuation.

City Manager Mr. Chancellor opened the council’s public hearing and described the topline figures: “The proposed total budget is at 48,800,000.0 for fiscal year 26,” and he said the proposed tax rate would be 0.7352 per $100 valuation. The council heard no public comment before moving to votes; both the budget ordinance (No. 25-3778) and the separate vote on the proposed tax rate passed on first reading by unanimous roll call.

The vote followed the public hearing required under state law and a presentation from the city manager explaining revenue and spending assumptions. The city manager said the proposed operating revenues reflected a lower tax rate in part because taxable valuations rose about 8.25% this year. He told the council the general fund would remain the primary operating source while the capital improvement program (CIP) accounted for a large share of budgeted capital spending.

Key budget figures cited at the meeting included a proposed total budget of $48.8 million; the CIP and capital outlay line of roughly $16.7 million; planned street improvements of $5,850,000; water and sewage capital at about $3.2 million with a $2,000,000 sand-filter project carryover; and personnel costs that the city said raise operating expenditures overall by about 5.65%, to roughly $15.9 million in personnel spending.

The city manager said some fee categories were unchanged (water, sewage fees) while solid-waste fees reflect a projected 3% increase. He estimated the average Plainview household would see a monthly change of about $2.82 under the proposed budget, contrasted with about $9.46 cited last year; the council emphasized the valuation increase as a primary factor in lowering the tax rate per $100 of value even as overall revenues grow.

Council member Howe noted state-required wording used during tax-rate adoption can be misleading and clarified that the statutorily required language can portray the action as an “increase” even when the rate per $100 is falling because total valuation rose. “The wording is mandatory that we have to read in order to adopt the tax rate… It is not increasing the tax rate,” Howe said during council comment.

Roll-call votes were recorded as follows on the budget ordinance first reading: Mayor Starnes — yes; Council member Dickerson — yes; Council member Martinez — yes; Council member Garcia — yes; Council member House — yes; Council member Rascon — yes; Mayor Pro Tem Weiss — yes; Council member Rodriguez — yes. The council announced the motion passed unanimously 8–0. The mayor announced the ordinance number for the first reading as Ordinance No. 25-3778.

The council noted that a second and final reading on the ordinance and on the proposed tax rate is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.