El Paso City Council Regular Meeting – August 4, 2026

The El Paso City Council met on August 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers and virtually. The meeting included proclamations, public comment, consent agenda approval, first readings of ordinances, and major discussions on the FY2026-2027 proposed budget, tax rate, funding for the Welcome Center, animal services, and a policy for campaign event cost recovery. The meeting recessed at 1:10 PM for lunch, reconvened at 2:30 PM, and adjourned at 5:13 PM after an executive session.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously the consent agenda, including minutes of July 20-21, 2026, approval to excuse absent members, several resolutions (interlocal agreement with UMC, amendment to Montoya Gardens NIP project, tax penalty waiver for Todd Maribel, board appointments/reappointments, notice of campaign contributions, and a best value procurement for animal control field training).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sherry Medi (on Item 19): Expressed concern about raising property taxes, stating citizens, low-income families, and small businesses are already struggling; urged reconsideration.
• John Martin (on Item 20): Stated he is available to answer questions; expressed gratitude to council and noted the homeless issue needs addressing.
• Michael Flores (on Item 20): Representing the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless; spoke about the need for a one-stop-shop for homeless services and invited council to visit the coalition.
• Call to the Public – 9 speakers:
  • Elizabeth Crawford: Discussed the August 3rd remembrance and compared abortion to the Walmart shooting.
  • Victoria Kignola: Advocated for expansion of raw milk sales, citing nutritional benefits.
  • Ron Comwall: Alleged El Paso Animal Services violated Texas state laws regarding open intake, falsified reports, and violated policies.
  • Barbara Valencia: Described a fatal dog attack on a cat (Rosie) and criticized the city’s new animal ordinance as unenforced; demanded accountability.
  • Pierre Andre Uzaraga: Identified as a federal candidate for president in 2028; made a brief statement.
  • Claudia Contreras Siller: Honored August 3rd victims and first responders; advocated for preserving the duck pond at Escarata Pavilion and requested a proclamation for animal services.
  • Sherry Medi (second time): Spoke on high El Paso Electric bills and concerns about Flock cameras being misused.
  • Jesse Romero: Criticized slow speed bump installation, questioned allocation of city resources, and asked about using new revenue from Mayday to reduce taxes.

Discussion Items

• Item 19 – Presentation of Appraisal Roll and Tax Rates: Robert Cortinas presented the certified property values (57.1 billion, 0.7% below estimate), no-new-revenue tax rate (0.747490), voter-approval rate (0.809487), and certified collection rate (98.27%). Discussion included the impact of the new business personal property tax exemption (loss of $7 million) and caps on property value increases.
• Item 20 – FY2026-2027 Proposed Budget: Cortinas presented a budget focused on core services, no use of fund balance, 2.5% pay raise for civilian employees, increase in city minimum wage to $16.25, no increase in health care contributions, funding for public safety (three police academies, two fire academies), $10 million for street resurfacing, $4.9 million for facility maintenance, and $1.5 million increase in general fund allocation to Animal Services. The recommended tax rate increase of 4.9 cents (additional 2.6 cents on top of the original 2.3 cents) was proposed to cover lower certified values ($5.2 million) and generate $9.7 million for street/park lighting ($700,000), Animal Services vehicles ($1 million), and contingency ($8 million). Public comment from Sam Armijo urged adoption of the no-new-revenue rate and proposed cuts to destination marketing, airport, and other funds.
• Welcome Center Funding (Item 20 sub-item): Canales moved to allocate $380,000 from ARPA investment interest to fund the Welcome Center (24/7 access point) from September 2026 through February 2027. Discussion included previous request of $430,000, potential grants, and future sustainability. Motion passed unanimously.
• Item 21 – Introduction of Tax Levy Ordinance: Council introduced the ordinance levying FY2026-2027 taxes at a rate of 0.809487 (voter-approval rate). Passed 5-3 (Acevedo, Rocha, Trejo, Fierro, Canales in favor; Chavez, Nino, Limon opposed). Public hearing set for August 17, 2026.
• Item 20 (revised allocation): After introduction of the tax rate, council approved the revised allocation of $9.7 million, including the $380,000 for Welcome Center and $128,000 for spay/neuter services (from $50,000 ARPA interest plus $78,000 from contingency). Passed 7-1 (Limon opposed).
• Item 22 – District 2 Fall Events: Authorized $10,000 from discretionary funds for Seville Block Party and two fall festivals. Approved unanimously.
• Item 23 – 2026 General Election: Approved resolution calling for November 3, 2026, election to fill Districts 1, 5, 6, and 8, and contracting with El Paso County. Approved unanimously.
• Item 24 – Campaign Event Cost Recovery Policy: Staff presented a policy to require 100% upfront deposit for recoverable services (traffic, public safety, cleanup) from campaign organizers, but not applicable to federal/state mandated protective missions (e.g., Secret Service). Council accepted the recommendation unanimously.
• Item 25 – Accela Optimization Project Budget Transfer: Approved transfer of $510,000 from IT and Planning & Inspections savings to fund the Accela system upgrade. Passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Tax Rate: Introduced at 0.809487 (voter-approval rate) with public hearing on August 17, 2026. Final adoption scheduled for August 18, 2026.
• Welcome Center: Funded $380,000 for six months (Sept 2026 – Feb 2027) from ARPA interest.
• Spay/Neuter Services: Funded $128,000 (from ARPA interest and contingency) for a Greater Good Charities clinic, with potential for two additional events from a partner entity.
• Animal Services: Received $1 million for six new vehicles and an adoption bus (part of the $9.7 million allocation) plus $1.5 million increase in general fund allocation.
• Campaign Event Policy: Staff directed to draft ordinance requiring 100% deposit for non-protected campaign events; will return for council adoption.
• Executive Session: Held on legal consultation regarding city manager and city attorney; no action taken.