Laredo advances $1.01 billion proposed FY2026 budget; council approves CIP while holding $4.5M for Slaughter Park turf

At a City of Laredo budget workshop, City Manager Joe Nebb presented a proposed $1.01 billion fiscal year 2026 consolidated budget and a five‑year capital improvement plan that city staff said is “structurally balanced.” Council approved the package of budget motions and the CIP after debate about a $4.5 million artificial‑turf project at Slaughter Park.

The budget covers core services including police, fire and streets and keeps the city’s tax rate unchanged, while using reserves and debt tools to fund capital work. “This budget is our budget,” City Manager Joe Nebb told the council as he outlined revenue assumptions, reserve targets and a multi‑year approach to financing major projects.

Nebb said the proposed consolidated budget totals about $1,010,000,000 and that the general fund appropriation is roughly $287,800,000. He told council the administration built the plan to preserve legally required reserves and to plan for labor and capital needs: “We are required by law in our general fund to have 15% reserves,” Nebb said, and the budget estimates a budgeted general‑fund reserve near 20% during FY2026.

Why this matters: the plan funds public safety increases negotiated with unions, uses bridge toll transfers and sales‑tax growth to balance recurring costs and expands capital spending to address aging streets,…