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Weatherford council adopts $83.2M FY2026 budget and sets property tax rate equal to no‑new‑revenue rate
Summary
The Weatherford City Council adopted the city manager’s FY2026 budget and set the property tax rate at 39.2246¢ per $100 — the no‑new‑revenue rate — while separately ratifying an approximately $615,000 increase in property tax revenue reflected in the budget.
Weatherford — The Weatherford City Council voted to adopt the city manager’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and to set the ad valorem tax rate at 39.2246¢ per $100 of taxable valuation, a rate staff said is equal to the no‑new‑revenue rate and below the level that would trigger an election.
Ashley Esquivel, presenting the budget, said the FY2026 plan spans 25 funds, supports 15 departments and 332 committed employees, with combined revenues of $83,400,000 and total expenditures of $83,200,000. "The 2025 proposed tax rate is 39.2246¢ per $100 of taxable valuation," Esquivel said, adding that the rate was used to build the FY26 budget and that the city is not proposing an increase in property tax rates.
The general fund portion of the budget shows $55,800,000 in revenues and $55,700,000 in expenditures, with a $47,000 surplus; staff projected an ending fund balance of $32,600,000 (about 229 working days of operation) and noted $15,000,000 above the 120‑day reserve requirement. The budget funds several priorities identified by council, including the addition of three firefighters to complete staffing for Fire Station 5, an animal control officer, an animal care technician and an IT specialist, and design costs for park and facility projects funded in part by a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant.
Council considered the required truth‑in‑taxation public hearing earlier in the meeting before voting on adoption. Councilmember Heidi Weidner moved to adopt the tax rate and budget; the motion was seconded and the items passed. Council also took the separate, required vote to ratify the property tax revenue increase reflected in the FY26 budget; staff stated that increase is approximately $615,000.
During discussion councilmembers asked clarifying questions about how design costs and future construction would be handled; staff responded that construction would be carried forward and, once bond proceeds are known, a budget amendment would be brought back for those projects. The council thanked the finance and city management team for their work on the budget.
The ordinance adopting the FY2026 budget and the ordinance setting the tax rate passed on council votes; no detailed roll call tallies were recorded in the transcript provided.
