City Council Meeting | August 20, 2026

The City Council of Temple held a meeting on August 20, 2026, which included significant discussions on the fiscal year 2027 budget and tax rate setting. The council conducted the first reading and public hearing on adopting an ordinance to set the tax rate at 75 cents per $100 valuation, representing a 5.01 cent increase from the previous year. The tax levy was based on a certified property valuation of approximately $12.8 billion. The council also addressed a negotiated settlement with Atmos Energy regarding a 2026 rate review mechanism filing, approving a rate increase that will raise average residential bills by $13.37 per month and commercial bills by $44.82 per month, which was lower than the originally requested increase by Atmos. Both the tax rate ordinance and the Atmos Energy rate settlement passed with unanimous votes. Additionally, the consent agenda was approved without discussion, and a zoning change request was withdrawn. Public comments focused on concerns about data centers, surveillance cameras, and tax abatements for large corporations, but no direct procurement actions were taken during the meeting.