La Porte council adopts $2025–26 budget with edits after line-by-line personnel debate

The La Porte City Council voted to adopt the city’s fiscal year 2025–26 proposed budget after members removed and modified several personnel items in line-by-line votes. Staff said the adopted plan includes no increase in the property tax rate or utility fund rates and roughly $40.7 million in capital projects, including $13 million for a new public works facility.

"There's no increase in the property tax rate," said Michael, the staff presenter, summarizing the highlights. He told council the budget allocates a 3% standard-of-living increase for non–civil service employees and specified market increases for civil service positions. Councilors pressed staff on multiple proposed new positions and salary upgrades and voted to remove the proposed compliance officer and several salary-line items before taking the final record vote to approve the budget as amended.

Council members discussed contingency planning in case of future state action that would affect city revenue. Corby, speaking for staff, said the city can pivot on hiring decisions if necessary, and that the budget as adopted is a spending plan rather than an immediate commitment to fill every listed position. The council also recorded a separate procedural vote to include edits made during the meeting in the document it approved.

The council directed staff to publish required notices about the tax-rate process and noted a public meeting on the tax rate scheduled for September 22. The budget adoption concludes the council’s multi-month review process and sets the city's spending plan subject to any later amendments council may order.