Lake Jackson adopts $2025-26 budget and sets tax rate at 0.378911 per $100

Lake Jackson — The City Council on Aug. 18 adopted the cityof Lake Jacksonfiscal year 202526ndash;26 annual budget and approved a property tax rate of 0.378911 per $100 of assessed value, actions the council approved by voice vote during the regular meeting at 25 Oak Drive.

City Manager Modesto reviewed the proposed budget and the changes since its July presentation, saying the budget prioritizes long-term capital and infrastructure funded in part by voter-approved bonds. Modesto described the largest single project as a $20,000,000 lift station that will handle roughly 60to65 percent of the city's wastewater flow. He also told the council staff is proposing a utility rate increase of $7.23 per month for a 5,000-gallon average water/sewer customer and a $1-per-month increase in the residential sanitation rate to $28.50; commercial sanitation would rise about 5 percent.

The council opened and closed the required public hearings on the annual budget and the proposed tax rate before taking final action. Councilman John Baker moved to adopt the budget; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. A separate motion to ratify a 12.92 percent increase reflected in the budget passed by voice vote, and the council then read and adopted Ordinance No. 2306 levying the tax rate of 0.378911 per $100 by suspending the two-reading rule.

Modesto told the council the proposed maintenance-and-operations (M&O) component of the rate was intended to remain at a level that would shift approximately $200,000 from the M&O side to cover debt service tied to the new bonds, saying the change partially offsets a certified drop of roughly $81,000,000 in taxable value the city received from the appraisal district. He said the city plans $40,400,000 in bond projects overall, including $6,000,000 for public facilities and fire/police and $4,000,000 for drainage work, and expects the general fund increase to be supported primarily by sales-tax and industrial-district revenue rather than property-tax increases.

Modesto also summarized non-tax measures in the package: about $5,800,000 in grant projects (including generator grants and donation-funded projects), a 4 percent market adjustment for city positions (with no broad merit increases proposed), and $242,000 in increased operations for an animal-control facility that adds three positions. He said the city received a donation from CenterPoint for the civic center and that the half-cent fund approved by voters in 1995 will continue to finance most parks and recreation capital projects.

Council members thanked department heads and staff for producing a "lean" budget and for focusing on infrastructure and public-safety projects. No public comment was offered during the hearings.

The council recorded the actions as motions with voice approval; the meeting transcript does not include a roll-call tally of individual yes/no votes.

The budget becomes effective Oct. 1, 2025, and runs through Sept. 30, 2026, per the resolution adopted by the council.