Fair Oaks Ranch adopts $28.4 million budget and 31.176-cent tax rate

Tax rate and projected household bill

The council adopted, on second and final reading, an ordinance setting the 2026 property tax rate at 31.176 cents per $100 of taxable value. The reviewed outcome describes a unanimous record vote. The motion described this as effectively an 8.96% increase in the tax rate; that description of the rate should not be read as the percentage change in every homeowner's bill.

For a median-valued homestead of $686,217, it projected $2,139 under the proposed budget and $1,963 at the no-new-revenue rate. The $2,139 figure was an agenda estimate, not a bill sent to every homeowner. An owner's city levy depends on that property's taxable value and exemptions; the comparison addresses the city portion of the property tax bill.

The agenda used a median homestead value of $686,217. These are projections, not individualized final bills.

Separate revenue ratification

The council approved a resolution ratifying the property tax revenue increase in the adopted fiscal year 2026-27 budget, as required by Texas Local Government Code section 102.007(c). The reviewed recording outcome describes a voice vote for this separate action. The Sept. 22 packet estimated $798,595, or 10%, more property tax revenue than the prior-year budget, including $98,628 attributed to new property. That citywide revenue comparison is distinct from the tax-rate change and from any one property's bill.

Citizen comments

The Sept. 22 agenda set aside item 3 for citizens to be heard and allowed five minutes per speaker. That prospective notice establishes the opportunity to speak; the three reviewed outcome records address the later business items. The retained, hash-bound meeting sources do not provide an account of general comments, item-specific testimony or any council response. This recap therefore cannot attribute remarks or conclude that no one spoke. The full recording and the Sept. 22 minutes are the next records to check for that part of the meeting.

What residents can check next

The packet's proposed tax ordinance listed Oct. 1, 2026, as the tax due date and Jan. 31, 2027, as the last day before delinquency. Residents should use their final taxable value, exemptions and actual tax statement to check their own city levy. The official meeting recording verifies the council's three decisions; the final ordinance and tax statement are the records needed to verify an individual amount and payment deadline.