As budget season in Lubbock enters its final stretch this month, some still face one final test — public input and final rounds of voting.
This week, the Lubbock City Council heard from citizens and debated for four hours before giving an initial vote of 5-2 to the city’s 2026 budget and a 5-2 vote to set the city’s tax rate. Councilman David Glasheen and Mayor Mark McBrayer voted no on both items.
This is the first of two votes the council will take on the items, with the other one being Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. in Citizens Tower. But ahead of the final vote, here’s what you need to know about what was said about the budget and tax rate.
Council debates and amends Lubbock’s 2026 budget
Even though a public hearing was called on the City of Lubbock’s proposed 2026 budget, only one person spoke, with much of the talk and debate coming amongst the council.
Mayor McBrayer, Councilwoman Dr. Jennifer Wilson, Councilman Tim Collins and Councilwoman Christy Martinez-Garcia all had amendments to change the budget, but they went about it slightly differently.
However, it was Wilson’s motion, which Martinez-Garcia amended, that prevailed, which stated that the city will pull $1.7 million from the $2 million discretionary fund set aside for road bond projects to the general fund, and slash the city council’s budget by $15,000 for meal/food expenses.
In essence, the $1.7 million is a buy-down to the city’s tax rate in response to the city trying to find that amount after receiving a lower amount of funding from property taxes after the Lubbock County Central Appraisal District did its math.
The motion passed 5-2, with McBrayer and Collins opposing it.
The council also considered other proposals to save additional money through dropping non-sworn employees — like firefighters and police — cost of living adjustment from 2.5% to 2.25% and cutting $100,000 from Market Lubbock’s budget. However, those ideas got nixed.
In the end, the budget as amended by the council passed 5-2 with McBrayer and Glasheen dissenting.
City Council sets 2026 tax rate
In a 5-2 vote, the city council set the following tax rate $0.472191 per $100 of property valuation for 2026. Broken down, that means an interest and sinking tax rate of $0.107586 and $0.364605 tax rate for maintenance and operation.
The newly approved rate is a 2.2% increase over the 2025 current rate, but down from the initially proposed 3.77% hike the council adopted a few weeks ago.
The council will take its second and final vote on both items at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Citizens Tower.
Mateo Rosiles is the Government & Public Policy reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Got a news tip for him? Email him: mrosiles@lubbockonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock City Council gives initial nod to 2026 budget, tax rate. Here’s what to know
Reporting by Mateo Rosiles, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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