Schertz City Council Budget Workship - August 25, 2026

The City of Schertz held a budget workshop on August 25, 2026, focusing primarily on the proposed tax rate and its impact on the city budget and staffing. Council members discussed options for maintaining the current tax rate versus adopting the no new revenue tax rate, which is slightly higher. Key procurement-related discussions centered on funding for new personnel, specifically four police officers and four communication officers, and the associated costs including patrol vehicles. The council debated whether to raise the tax rate to support these additions or to find budget cuts elsewhere, with concerns about maintaining essential services and avoiding layoffs. The city staff presented detailed financial analyses showing the trade-offs between tax rates, revenue, and expenditures, including the use of excess fund balances and future debt considerations. The council expressed a preference for a tax rate of $0.5175 per $100 valuation to fund the four communication officers while deferring the addition of police officers, with a commitment to explore budget cuts and revenue enhancements to support personnel needs without overburdening residents. The meeting concluded with a directive for staff to prepare budget options reflecting these scenarios for further council review.