Euless budget proposal lowers tax rate but raises water costs
Euless has opened its FY2026-27 budget process with a lower proposed property-tax rate but higher proposed water and wastewater charges, along with additional funding for employee pay, staffing and infrastructure.
The proposed operating budget is dated July 31, 2026. The city says it was filed with the municipal clerk on July 17, before certified taxable values arrived July 24. The document was then updated using those certified values and the proposed tax rate was adjusted.
Lower proposed tax rate
The proposed property-tax rate is 47.0080 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, down from the current 47.6466 cents. The proposal includes 39.0219 cents for maintenance and operations and 7.9861 cents for debt service.
A lower tax rate does not guarantee that every property owner will receive a lower tax bill. Individual bills also depend on certified taxable values, exemptions and changes in a property’s assessed value. The city’s proposed FY2026-27 net taxable value is $6.564 billion, up 4.9% from the prior year’s net taxable value.
Utility charges would rise
For water customers, the proposal would increase the standard base charge by $1 and raise the volume rate by 45 cents per 1,000 gallons. The city says the volume increase is tied to higher costs for water purchased from the Trinity River Authority.
The wastewater base charge would also rise by $1. The wastewater usage rate would increase by 17 cents per 1,000 gallons, reflecting higher collection and treatment costs.
The proposed budget also includes a residential water rebate of 75 cents per 1,000 gallons for single-family residential customers, applied to up to 15,000 gallons per month. The rebate is separate from the base-charge increases and usage-rate changes and would be funded through the city’s Rate Stabilization Fund.
Pay plan and two new positions
The proposal includes a 3% baseline salary increase, step increases and a one-time performance-based lump-sum payment averaging 3% for non-step employees.
It also adds two full-time positions: a Recreation Assistant in the Parks and Community Services Department and a Facility Technician/Day Porter in the Police Department. The staffing and compensation changes remain proposals until the City Council adopts the budget.
More funding for streets and utility lines
The proposed budget would increase the annual commitment for water and wastewater line replacement by $50,000, bringing it to $1.2 million. The General Fund transfer for annual street improvements would rise by $75,000 to $1.275 million.
The accompanying capital-improvement proposal lists wastewater line work along Skyway Drive, Ridgecrest Drive and S Ector Drive, as well as Oakwood Terrace North Phase III and Vine Street. It also includes engineering for water-line replacements in the Bell-Hi Addition and along West Euless Boulevard.
Another proposed project would improve the traffic-signal intersection at Mid-Cities Boulevard and North Main Street. The scope includes ADA-compliant curb ramps, a pedestrian signal, updated pavement markings, high-visibility crosswalks and additional sidewalks. The project is listed at $1,295,183, including $184,949 in city funding and $1,110,234 in HSIP/TxDOT funding.
Public process continues in August
Euless’ budget page says public hearings on the proposed budget and tax rate are held in August, with final budget adoption expected in mid-September. The proposed budget calendar says the City Council planned to set the date, time and place for an August 11 public hearing at its August 3 meeting and planned to consider budget adoption on August 17. Those dates should be treated as proposed schedule items unless confirmed through the city’s official notices or meeting records.
Residents can review the operating budget and capital-improvement documents through the city’s budget process page and public-notice system, then submit comments during the hearing cycle. The proposal is not final: the City Council may revise the tax rate, utility charges, staffing plan, capital projects or other spending before adoption.
Sources
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