Balch Springs holds workshop on proposed 2025–26 budget; council sets Sept. 8 public hearings

Balch Springs city staff presented the proposed 2025–26 municipal budget during a Sept. 2 workshop and special call meeting and told the council they must adopt a tax rate by Sept. 17 to meet statutory deadlines. The council set public hearings on both the proposed tax rate and the budget for Sept. 8 and voted unanimously to schedule the hearings.

City staff said the draft budget currently shows about $2,600,000 in expenditures above projected revenues and that personnel costs continue to drive the largest share of spending. “We must have our tax rate adopted by September, seventeenth,” said Miss Tan, the staff budget presenter, urging council members to ask questions at Monday’s public hearing. City staff said they will submit an updated budget book before that meeting and may continue making cuts to close the gap.

The workshop focused on revenue and expense drivers. Staff noted property tax revenue is the largest single source (about 52% of projected revenue), followed by sales tax (about 23%), with smaller shares from transfers, contributed capital and other sources. Staff said they reduced the sales-tax projection for 2026 to be conservative after seeing lower collections year-to-date and added an estimated $600,000 in potential revenue from planned vehicle and equipment sales. Officials also said interest earnings will be higher in 2026 because of a recent debt…