New Braunfels City Council Special Regular Meeting - August 17, 2026

The New Braunfels City Council held a Special Regular Meeting on Monday, August 17, 2026, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The meeting featured workshops on the Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed Budget and tax rate, an update on the Westside Community Center, and a presentation on the 2026 Roadway Impact Fee Study. The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Budget & Tax Rate: Larry Lane, a resident of District 2, commented on TIF (Tax Increment Financing) and TURS (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) diversions of revenue away from the general fund. He cautioned against overly frequent pavement striping and advocated for prioritizing pavement, pipes, and police over other city projects, stating that the city is entering a period where rising values can no longer mask budget challenges.
• Budget & Tax Rate: An unidentified resident noted that approximately $2.5 billion in property value is not contributing to the general fund due to frozen values and TURS. The resident argued that these diversions should be scrutinized before raising taxes on citizens.
• Westside Community Center: Larry Lane asked whether third-party instructor-led classes would be subject to the new membership fee structure. Deputy City Manager Jordan Matney confirmed the goal is to transition to a membership model but that the city will work with individuals to ensure continued access.

Discussion Items

• Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed Budget and Tax Rate Workshop:

  • City Manager Robert Camareno and Budget Director Jared Werner presented the first of three budget workshops. The budget is built on the current tax rate of 40.89 cents, which is below the no new revenue rate.
  • Property values saw the lowest growth since 2011 ($126.5M decline in existing values), driven by market normalization, increased protests, and the implementation of House Bill 9 (removing $182M in taxable value). General fund revenues are expected to grow 5.9% ($6.6M), driven largely by sales taxes (including HD Supply) and franchise fees.
  • Key expenditure increases included a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for employees, a 25% increase in health insurance contributions and premiums (breaking a 9-year streak), and funding for the Zip Family Sports Park. The budget includes 17.5 new full-time equivalent positions.
  • Councilmember Carter expressed strong support for a tax rate increase, warning of a deepening structural deficit in public safety staffing (Police, Fire, SROs). She questioned the strategic plan's influence on budget allocations and advocated for exploring fully insured health plans instead of the self-insured model.
  • Councilmember Spradley highlighted specific unfunded requests (legal assistant, cybersecurity manager, SROs, fire inspectors) and stated the current 0.4089 rate would not be sufficient to meet the city's needs.
  • Councilmember Edwards discussed the softening housing market and stressed prioritizing streets, personnel, and public safety. He questioned potential bond project delays and explored alternative funding sources for specific projects.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Capizzi requested specific funding scenarios aligning different tax rate options with proposed initiatives.
  • Councilmembers Shaw and Labowski voiced support for a legal assistant, cybersecurity, SROs, and ADA improvements. Shaw specifically inquired about the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) coordinator position.

• Westside Community Center Update:

  • Deputy City Manager Jordan Matney presented the transition of the Westside Community Center from the Library to the Parks & Recreation Department to expand fitness and programming. A proposed $10/month membership model was introduced, with a scholarship program to ensure access. The official rollout is planned for January 2027.

• 2026 Roadway Impact Fee Study:

  • Brenadette Faust (TCS) and Pete Kelly (Kimley-Horn) presented the required five-year update to the Roadway Impact Fee study. Recent changes to state law were highlighted, including extended public review periods, a 2/3 council vote requirement, and a mandate for an independent external financial audit.
  • Councilmember Spradley questioned the limitations placed on the city by state law, such as the service area fund restriction and the five-year update requirement, expressing concern over diminishing local control over impact fees.

Key Outcomes

• Budget & Tax Rate: No formal action taken. Council directed staff to return with detailed spending scenarios based on a 1-cent increase, the No New Revenue rate, and the Voter Approval Rate. The public hearing was set for September 10, 2026, with adoption on September 14, 2026.
• Westside Community Center: No action taken.
• Roadway Impact Fee: No action taken. The adoption schedule was outlined for September through November.