Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Odessa council adopts 0.4707 property tax rate after heated debate over services and budget
Summary
The Odessa City Council approved a property tax rate of $0.4707 per $100 valuation for fiscal 2025–26 after debate about reserve interest, service levels and employee pay. The measure passed after two procedural votes and a clarification required under state tax rules.
Odessa — The Odessa City Council voted to adopt an ad valorem tax rate of $0.4707 per $100 valuation for the 2025 tax year and fiscal year 2025–26, approving the city budget and a modest rate increase after debate about the city’s reserves and service levels.
The council approved the rate in a motion that passed on a 5–1 recorded vote and was later clarified under state tax-code requirements; city staff said the adopted rate exceeds the no-new-revenue rate and will raise maintenance and operations taxes by about 0.612417%, which the city attorney said “will raise taxes for maintenance and operation on a $100,000 home by approximately $5.31 a year.”
Why it matters: The tax decision funds ongoing city services — police, fire, water, streets and parks — and includes pay increases city leaders said are needed to recruit and…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
