Lakeway mayor previews growth, budget priorities and seven charter amendments ahead of special election

Mayor Tom Kilgore and City Manager Joseph Molise delivered Lakeway’s 2025 State of the City briefing on April 8 at City Hall, outlining population and development trends, budget priorities and seven charter amendments set for a special election.

Kilgore opened by saying the city’s population has risen since the 2020 U.S. Census and that the city’s estimate—based on new trash-service sign-ups—is “conservatively” about 22,000 residents, up from roughly 19,000 at the 2020 count. He said the growth has driven an increased focus on redevelopment as undeveloped land becomes scarce.

The briefing laid out why those changes matter: city officials said Lakeway’s fiscal health remains strong, but long-lived assets such as roads, buildings and fleet vehicles require sustained funding. Kilgore told attendees…