Whitehouse council opens four-hour workshop on FY2026–27 budget and tax rate

Chair opened the Whitehouse City Council budget workshop at 8:30 a.m., telling members that “The only action item on this agenda is item number b, which is discuss, consider, operation, and provide direction on the fiscal year 20 26 27 budget and tax rate.”

Staff framed the meeting as a decision session amid unusual volatility in property-tax data, noting that state legislative changes and appraisal-district adjustments have reduced the tax base and left roughly $2.1 million of value currently under protest. Staff recommended council provide direction on service levels, targeted reductions and whether to propose a tax rate on Aug. 10 or delay to Aug. 24 to await final assessor data. Chair and council members signaled agreement to prioritize public-safety staffing and a street-condition assessment; staff will return with prioritized cuts and modeled rate scenarios.