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El Paso city manager previews FY2026 budget, holds property tax rate and trims pay-go
Summary
El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack and budget staff presented a preliminary FY2026 plan that would maintain the city’s current property-tax rate, use $4 million in fund balance and balance new compensation and public-safety costs with $26.1 million in identified efficiencies.
El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack and city budget staff presented the city’s preliminary fiscal year 2026 spending plan at a special City Council meeting July 7, saying the draft holds the tax rate steady while shifting how the city pays for capital and service needs.
Mack said the proposal would maintain the current property tax rate and use $4 million of the city’s fund balance to balance the budget. Robert Cortinez and Office of Management and Budget staff told council they identified $26.1 million in department efficiencies and reductions that, together with new and restricted revenues, cut an initial $51 million gap to a $24.8 million increase driven mainly by compensation and public safety staffing.
Why it matters: the plan aims to protect core services while limiting direct tax increases. Mack emphasized the city is not proposing a higher property tax rate and that the city has taken steps—refundings and…
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