Lubbock adopts 2025–26 budget, approves tax-rate increase after council debate and failed amendment

The Lubbock City Council adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and approved a tax rate on second reading after hours of discussion about possible cuts and priorities.

The council voted 5–2 to adopt the budget the body had previously approved on first reading, and later ratified the decision as required by state law. The ordinance setting the tax rate passed 5–2; the city manager said the combined interest-and-sinking (I&S) and maintenance-and-operations (M&O) rates amount to a 2.22% increase and would raise the average single-family residential bill by $15.33 per year.

Why it matters: The adopted budget funds city services, capital projects and utilities and sets the local property-tax allocation that determines how much homeowners and property owners pay. Council members who pressed for additional cuts said they were trying to lessen the tax impact on households with limited incomes; others warned that further reductions would jeopardize planned projects and services.

The debate and amendment attempt

Mayor (role: Mayor) opened a sustained debate about possible reductions after the council reviewed the budget presented…