Votes at a glance: Aransas Pass council adopts budgets and tax rate; approves personnel change, contracts and event closure

The Aransas Pass City Council adopted the city’s fiscal-year spending plan and related measures and approved a package of routine contracts and event permits at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Key votes taken by the council included adoption of the city operating budget and the related tax rate, formal resolutions adopting special-district budgets, approval of personnel-policy changes, routine contract renewals and several administrative items.

The council adopted the city operating budget for fiscal year 2025–2026, which staff described in the meeting as roughly $29,100,000 and which includes a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) of 11% for exempt employees and 2.5% for nonexempt employees, funding for two new positions (municipal court and public works), and absorption of an increase in employee health‑insurance costs. City staff said the general fund will show a projected deficit…