San Antonio holds second public hearing on $4.4 billion FY2027 budget and proposed tax-rate increase

Budget Director Freddie Martinez told the council the proposed FY2027 budget totals $4,400,000,000 and funds 13,746 positions. He said the proposal shifts the property-tax rate from 54.159¢ to 56.288¢ per $100 of taxable valuation and described related actions the council will take next week, including adopting a maintenance-and-operations rate that requires a 60% council majority.

"This $4,400,000,000 budget does fund 13,746 positions," Martinez said in the presentation, while outlining a roughly $1,200,000,000 in restricted funds and $1,400,000,000 proposed for capital investments including airport expansion and 2022 bond projects. He also noted the city is using previously unused tax capacity from prior fiscal years.

Public commenters urged continued city support for local scholarship and nonprofit programs. Anna Acevedo, CEO of the San Antonio Education Partnership, asked council to "please continue to invest in what's possible for San Antonio students" and stressed the scholarship program serves nearly 3,000 students and includes in‑school advising. Other speakers raised concerns about proposed reductions to delegate-agency funding and requested clarity about how the Sept. 17 FY2027 vote affects FY2028 planning.

The hearing was closed after a broad set of speakers. The council is scheduled to consider budget adoption and the tax-rate ordinances on Sept. 17, 2026; staff said that if the M&O rate measure does not receive seven votes the council will need alternate budget reductions to balance the plan.