Waco council adopts 0.755 property tax rate for 2025-26 on 6-0 vote

Waco City Council on Sept. 9 adopted a property tax rate of 0.755 per $100 of assessed valuation for the 2025-26 fiscal year, approved 6-0 on second reading.

The ordinance sets a rate of 0.755, composed of 0.5845 for maintenance and operations and 0.1705 for debt service. The motion stated the change is effectively a 1.96% increase in the tax rate. The measure was passed on a roll-call vote after a brief discussion and a request for clarification from a councilmember.

A councilmember asked for clarity for the public watching, saying, “Just to, want a clarification for the public that’s watching and and anytime we’re reading a a motion that includes the words increase in tax right next to each other, and it’s important to be clear that, you know, we we have maintained our same tax rate now, going on, was it, 10 years, maybe more?” The speaker added that the rate had not been increased in about a decade.

The motion to adopt the rate was made during the council’s individual-consideration portion and was moved and seconded; the assistant city secretary conducted a roll call. Voting recorded in the meeting transcript: Fairfield — Yes; Lozano — Yes; Porter Root — Yes; Ewing — Yes; Chase — Yes; Holmes — Aye. The motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 6:16 p.m.

Earlier in the meeting the council recessed its regular session at 5:01 p.m. and convened an executive session under the Texas Open Meetings Act for attorney briefing and personnel matters (sections 551.071 and 551.074), including discussion of the city manager appointment process. The council also postponed an executive-session item related to the performance of the city secretary to a later date.