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Longview council adopts FY 2025-26 budget and ratifies $3.162 million property tax revenue increase
Summary
At a special Longview City Council meeting on Aug. 21, 2025, the council adopted the fiscal year 2025-26 operating budget, approved a resolution establishing fees and charges, and ratified a $3,162,000 increase in property tax revenue that officials said results from higher appraised values rather than a tax-rate increase.
At a special meeting on Aug. 21, 2025, the Longview City Council adopted its fiscal year 2025-26 operating budget and approved related budget measures, including a required ratification of increased property tax revenue.
The council opened and closed the required public hearings on the fees-and-charges resolution and the proposed budget with no public speakers and then approved the items. Ms. Angela Cohen, speaking during the hearing on the budget, said, “The local government code requires a public hearing on the proposed budget.” She later told the council that “the adoption of this year's budget will raise $3,162,000 more in property taxes than last year. The increased revenue is due to an increase in appraised property values, not an increase in the tax rate itself.”
The council also heard a staff statement that the city’s proposed tax rate for 2025-26 is 56.19¢; on the council’s account that figure does not represent an increase to the tax rate. The council approved the ordinance adopting the annual operating budget and, in a separate motion required by statute, ratified the city’s projected increase in property tax revenue.
Council member Allen clarified how the budget changes affected pay raises and other allocations, saying the amount allocated for raises exceeded the additional revenue and required tightening the budget: “So we had to reduce the budget…and these raises for the employees here were very well deserved.”
Rollin McPhee also noted broader state action, saying the Texas Senate recently approved Senate Bill 10, which he said would change the voter-approval rate for property-tax revenue increases from 3.5% to 2.5% and could affect municipal budgets.
All budget motions were carried by voice/raised-hand approval in the special meeting; the transcript records the items as approved but does not list individual roll-call vote tallies.
The council scheduled a public hearing on the proposed tax rate for the following day at 9:30 a.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. With those items completed, the council moved to community items and adjourned.
