Austin's 2026-27 city budget: what passed and what it costs you

Last checked: October 13, 2026. This page collects what has been reported about the City of Austin budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which runs October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. It explains what was decided, not whether it was right. The Austin Bulletin does not endorse.

How big is the budget?

$6.6 billion in total, adopted by the City Council on August 12, 2026. City of Austin, August 12
$1.5 billion General Fund, the money for parks, libraries, social services, police, fire and EMS. $4.3 billion in planned capital spending. City of Austin, August 12
The General Fund has grown about 55% since 2017, from about $970.6 million. Austin Current, August 17

What does it cost a household?

Property tax rate: 57.9948 cents per $100 of value, up from 52.4017 cents. That is above the no-new-revenue rate of 53.5466 cents and the most the City can adopt without an election. Community Impact, October 9
Property tax: about $113.76 more a year ($9.48 a month) for the typical homeowner, the City says. The typical City bill rises from about $2,074 to about $2,190. City of Austin, August 12 · Community Impact, October 9
Rates and fees: about $172.08 more a year ($14.34 a month) for electricity, trash, water, drainage and the clean community fee. City of Austin, August 12
Total: about $285.84 a year, or $23.82 a month, for the typical tax- and ratepayer. That figure does not include the November bonds; if voters approve them, Austin Current puts the total at as much as about $330. City of Austin, August 12 · Austin Current, August 12
The rate is the highest in at least a decade and about 31% above 2017's, Austin Current found. State law since 2019 generally requires an election to raise property tax revenue by more than 3.5%; voters rejected a larger increase, Proposition Q, in November 2025. Austin Current, August 17

City tax is one of five lines on most Austin bills. For a $500,000 homestead in Austin ISD, the City takes about 28% of an $8,215 total; Austin ISD takes about 40%. Community Impact, October 9

What did the budget add?

From the City's list of highlights and approved amendments: City of Austin, August 12

Social service contracts kept at current funding for another year. The City Manager had proposed cutting $5.1 million; the Council redirected $4.7 million to avoid most of it. Austin Current, August 12
$7.8 million for local housing vouchers, and $6 million more for permanent supportive housing services.
$1.4 million to create an Office of Joint Emergency Communications (see 911, below).
$6 million more for fire overtime, to keep four-person staffing; $500,000 more for EMS overtime.
$1.5 million for a citywide efficiency audit.
$1.2 million for parkland, facility maintenance and refurbished pools.
$500,000 to double the Violet KeepSafe Storage program.
Debt-funded capital spending outside the bond election: $33 million for transportation safety projects and $3 million for Animal Services facilities.

What did it cut?

$5.8 million in software and technology support, from consolidating City systems. City of Austin, August 12
Parks cut youth and teen outreach, some recreation and senior programs, and its lending library. It planned to cancel City-run adult indoor basketball and volleyball leagues to save about $400,000 a year, then reversed after players objected: the leagues continue until an outside operator is found. Austin Current (KUT), September 3

How did the Council vote?

All three votes were on August 12. The counts below are from the meeting transcript; the City's approved minutes are still pending.

Budget: 9-2. Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Member Marc Duchen voted no. Y'all, City Hall: August 12, item 7 · Austin Current, August 12
Tax rate: 8-2. Watson and Duchen voted no; Council Member Mike Siegel was off the dais. Y'all, City Hall: August 12, item 1
911 office: 6-2, with three abstentions. Watson and Duchen voted no; Council Members Paige Ellis, Natasha Harper-Madison and José "Chito" Vela abstained. Y'all, City Hall: August 12, item 19 · Austin Current, August 12

What did each side say?

In their own words, as reported by Austin Current:

Council Member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri (voted yes): "This budget isn't perfect, but I'm proud that we were able to protect some of the services Austinites depend on most while putting forward a responsible budget for the year ahead."
Mayor Kirk Watson (voted no): "This budget bothers me. This budget goes back some of on the actions we've taken over the past year to strengthen city government and put affordability first."
Council Member Marc Duchen (voted no): "Voters are in a different place right now. They're being squeezed, and they're not seeing us respond to that at all."

Austin Current, August 12 · Austin Current, August 17

What is happening with 911?

The budget's $1.4 million starts an office meant to move 911 call-taking out of the Austin Police Department. Council Member Krista Laine, who wrote the original direction, cited slow and bounced calls in far North and Northwest Austin. The police, fire and EMS chiefs opposed the move. Austin Current, August 18
On September 16, the City's consultant, Mission Critical Partners, recommended keeping call-taking inside APD under a civilian leader. It found call-takers answer more than 97% of calls within 15 seconds, against a 90% national benchmark. Austin Current, September 16

What has happened since?

September 24: The Council extended more than a dozen Austin Public Health social service contracts by 12 months. Watson voted against several of them, saying the Council should wait for the staff review it had asked for. KXAN, September 24
October 1: The fiscal year began, and the City said the approved budget document would be posted at AustinTexas.gov. City of Austin, August 12
November 3: Voters decide Propositions A and B, $295 million in parks and library bonds that would add to the tax bill. See Austin's 2026 parks and library bonds.
February 1, 2027: 2026 property tax bills are due. Community Impact, October 9

Bulletin coverage

Editions that covered the City budget and what followed, newest first: