Pearland staff preview FY2027 budget, propose ‘no new revenue’ tax-rate approach and cap on motor-pool lease transfers

Pearland city staff presented an early preview of the fiscal year 2027 budget at a special City Council meeting on April 27, 2026, saying the process will emphasize projections, mid-range planning and only the highest council priorities.

Staff member Trent Everson told the council the city is planning to develop and deliver “a no new revenue tax rate based budget,” meaning property tax growth in the baseline would come only from newly added taxable value. Rachel Winslow, identified as the head of office management and budget, described the budget structure and the city’s hybrid approach (line-item, priority-based and target-based budgeting) and said target-based budgeting of FY26 requests has produced roughly $1.5 million in anticipated general-fund savings and $300,000 in enterprise-fund savings.

Winslow noted the city’s revenue mix: property taxes (including TIRs) comprise nearly half of general-fund revenue, sales tax about 25% and other sources the rest. She warned that under a no-new-revenue tax-rate scenario the city would rely on new construction for property-tax growth and that sales taxes and…