The Woodlands Township adopts $180.4 million 2026 consolidated budget
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Summary
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors adopted the 2026 consolidated budget after a presentation from Chief Executive Officer Monique Sharp, who described $175 million in projected revenues, a $180.4 million spending plan and a $2.7 million increase for law enforcement.
Chief Executive Officer Monique Sharp presented The Woodlands Township’s 2026 consolidated budget and the board voted to adopt the plan during a special meeting on Sept. 4, 2025.
Sharp opened with a summary of the board’s multi-month review and said the township’s revenue mix is ‘‘notable’’ for relying more on nonproperty sources than many local governments. ‘‘In terms of our total revenues, 30% of those come from property tax and the remaining 70% come from non property tax resources,’’ Sharp said. She said 2026 revenues total $175,000,000 and consolidated expenditures total $180,400,000, a decrease of $22,700,000 from the previous year driven largely by lower capital spending.
The nut graf: the budget adopted preserves service levels while increasing public safety spending and relying heavily on reserves to fund capital projects. Sharp highlighted that the township has funded 97% of capital projects from reserves, reducing the need to issue bonds, and cited high reserve balances and a double-A-plus bond rating as evidence of fiscal strength.
Among the numbers Sharp gave: operating expenses show an increase of about $4,100,000 (roughly 3.5%); the largest single increase was a $2,700,000 (about 15%) boost for law enforcement, including the addition of two deputies assigned to the village of Creekside Park. She said outstanding debt has fallen substantially compared with prior years, noting an approximate $62,400,000 reduction since 2016 and a projected 2026 debt balance of $15,500,000. Sharp also reported operating reserves of about $33,800,000 and a capital replacement reserve of about $28.7 million. The presentation closed with Sharp saying the budget is balanced while leaving $200,000 in ongoing unallocated funds and $2,100,000 set aside for one-time purchases.
After the presentation, Director Anne Snyder moved to adopt the 2026 consolidated budget as summarized in the packet; Vice Chairman Eisler seconded. A voice vote was taken and the chair declared the motion carries. The public record does not show individual roll-call tallies for the budget vote; the meeting record notes that a roll call is not required for budget approval.
The board announced there would be no closed session. The meeting was adjourned at 05:43 p.m.
Authorities cited in the meeting record include the taxpayer notice provision referenced as "HB 15 22" in the agenda materials. The board’s action at the Sept. 4 meeting adopted the consolidated budget; adoption of the tax rate was indicated as a separate, subsequent step under the law described in the presentation.
(Reporting based on the board’s public meeting and the presentation by Chief Executive Officer Monique Sharp.)
