[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6551863,"mediaKeyId","5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412","parentId",5323687,"title","El Paso city manager previews FY2026 budget, holds property tax rate and trims pay-go","audioSeconds",370,"startMs",441000,"endMs",811000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412&start=441&end=811","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412/thumbnail_441000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551863/El-Paso-City/El-Paso-County/Texas/El-Paso-city-manager-previews-FY2026-budget-holds-property-tax-rate-and-trims-pay-go","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551863-3376bae07171f0f4bc58c2c577debf0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771029879&Signature=ZhkBT34krF2RWmqjwUCFtDtJ9Otrj-oNwsq-igeTJNyCJtIU01Vi0UIj-~9-RHsTo7mS5mwh0eff1bm5FD-CFslap4tE26l3xC4Sm3qOpWWyvLbgxUfBqT8W83HpK3IBmVvicQTjsRDOikWRsUp9WGn5H~wOd-kQi-3h3D3E-PJMzvx0fINC85zftFOir8FqtqacDoDnfl-jq1zcyJn-r7kiW8sfoSEo8JrF9~l5-qkn0TANYfs7vrbguhNPQlrcEVYjkJly-rF9022igAOTq6zM1Qjm3qc2rctGu4IsCFlgqxPwqyPJLV1C3Pwu-1YRvpiYXgS5hP0DRaIKHi03hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of El Paso TX","date","2025-07-07T23:17:32Z","article","El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack and city budget staff presented the city’s preliminary fiscal year 2026 spending plan at a special City Council meeting July 7, saying the draft holds the tax rate steady while shifting how the city pays for capital and service needs.

Mack said the proposal would maintain the current property tax rate and use $4 million of the city’s fund balance to balance the budget. Robert Cortinez and Office of Management and Budget staff told council they identified $26.1 million in department efficiencies and reductions that, together with new and restricted revenues, cut an initial $51 million gap to a $24.8 million increase driven mainly by compensation and public safety staffing.

Why it matters: the plan aims to protect core services while limiting direct tax increases. Mack emphasized the city is not proposing a higher property tax rate and that the city has taken steps—refundings and debt defeasances—to reduce the debt-service portion of the tax rate to its lowest level since 2012.

Key figures and trade-offs
- Preliminary general-fund increase: about 4.1% citywide (3.8% overall preliminary budget increase).
- Reductions/efficiencies identified: $26.1 million.
- Major expenditure drivers: compensation and public-safety staffing (about 77% of the remaining $24.8 million increase), contractual services (IT, police and fire), and utility increases.
- Use of fund balance: $4.0 million in FY2026 (a decline from prior years’ $5.0M and $7.2M uses).
- Pay-go (cash capital) for streets remains at $10 million; however facilities and fleet pay-go were cut previously and are not fully restored in this proposal.

Revenue changes and one-time moves: Cortinez explained a $25 million projected increase in property valuation receipts tied to not issuing debt next year, and noted the council recently approved a defeasance that will free up roughly $2 million a year when fully acted on. He also described a planned ordinance to dissolve a separately governed entity (TER S9), which staff said would return about $2 million a year to the general fund when completed.

Budget risks and outlook: staff warned that federal and state grant uncertainty is a major risk. Mack and Cortinez told council the city absorbed multi-million-dollar federal grant reductions earlier in the year—Cortinez said departments have already felt about $3.5 million of public-health cuts—and that additional state actions (for example, the personal property tax exemption adopted by the state) will reduce available revenue in FY2027. The administration said it is seeking new and redirected revenue sources and will continue presenting community-level briefings before formal adoption in August.

Public-safety and staffing: Mack and Cortinez emphasized that much of the increase funds people costs—wages, benefits, and recruitment to restore police and fire staffing toward pre‑COVID levels. Cortinez and Fire and Police leadership told council several recruitment and academy classes are underway and that planned new facilities (including two new fire stations) and the return of grant-funded positions will increase recurring O&M costs.

What’s next: staff said the council will receive certified appraisal values on July 25 and a special meeting on July 31 to set tax-notice requirements. The preliminary budget will be revised as new certified data and any additional council directions arrive before the public hearings and adoption in August.

Ending: Mack framed the FY2026 proposal as an effort to maintain services and invest in personnel without raising the tax rate, but said council choices in August will determine the final shape of the budget and any further tradeoffs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Special Meeting 07/07/2025","oneSentenceSummary","El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack and budget staff presented a preliminary FY2026 plan that would maintain the city’s current property-tax rate, use $4 million in fund balance and balance new compensation and public-safety costs with $26.1 million in identified efficiencies.","taxTitle","El Paso City, El Paso County, Texas","taxId",2792,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551853,"Coldplay concerts push El Paso hotel occupancy, set new event records at UTEP",250,19288000,19538000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412&start=19288&end=19538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412/thumbnail_19288000.jpg","/articles/6551853/El-Paso-City/El-Paso-County/Texas/Coldplay-concerts-push-El-Paso-hotel-occupancy-set-new-event-records-at-UTEP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551853-9b3a4692f34af2036097d49b5e0c0940/orig.mp4?Expires=1771029879&Signature=oyxm5TWKqiFPMAIfzD3yN40qNUDEOOSS3CnHCen1qUkdwq~e184HYNvOSLkzVLY~NiIEznlk8Seeg88~dJ002he1MS1kv6xA-v-b9i3JeyEPArmQTxaPhxA93snfdXR6p1DeijGMc~67RXC8lIXGNV4KynlmSt-7E6QEpKyK2GUKxVJH0a4KSnWio19hpe2hLTxmvwrlpvdBwUqJ-lOm1buBIW~Q~S2SJ1ODdwepk~qwKmFkDea8rinkeYUhkIDFg~5esNr0VC0wiafp0Zd6ANIeckrEmpFM5TCYWbA~3XVMxles34LULepf6TWpcKWimeznfa6dpkrJiRdSyTTTYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two sold‑out Coldplay concerts at UTEP’s Sun Bowl produced a sharp, measurable spike in downtown hotel occupancy and related visitor spending, city staff and Destination El Paso reported during the July 7 council work session.

Jose Garcia of Destination El Paso said the events set multiple local records and drove unusual food, beverage and merchandise revenue at the venue and nearby hotels and restaurants. Robert Cortinez of the Office of Management and Budget told council the city expects to see the first sales‑tax evidence of the events in the Wednesday sales‑tax release (typically a multi‑month lag) and a fuller economic‑impact briefing soon afterward.

Key impacts reported
- Hotel occupancy: Friday and Saturday night average occupancy reported in the mid‑90s percent at area hotels, with a marked increase in average daily room rate.
- Venue records: Destination El Paso said the new children's museum (La Nube/MAC) broke a longstanding single‑day attendance record previously set in 1998; trade and merch receipts at the Sun Bowl were described as the venue’s strongest on record for an event of this type.
- Sales‑tax timing: Budget staff noted sales‑tax and franchise‑fee data are reported with a lag; Cortinez said the city will have a clearer picture when the next sales‑tax release is posted and he expected a measurable multi‑million‑dollar economic impact from the two concerts combined.

Why it matters: a high‑profile entertainment event brought tens of thousands of visitors, filled hotel rooms, and generated downtown commerce and tax receipts; city staff said such events support local hospitality jobs and municipal revenues but require coordinated operations across public safety, traffic and venue partners.

Next steps: Cortinez said OMB will present a formal impact estimate for council when additional sales‑tax and hotel‑data arrive; Destination El Paso said it will continue to pursue major entertainment and conference business for downtown venues.

Ending: council members and staff praised the cross‑agency coordination—police, Sun Metro, fire and tourism partners—for the event’s execution and asked staff to return with a detailed, post‑event impact and tax‑collection report.","Destination El Paso and city staff said two sold-out Coldplay concerts at UTEP’s Sun Bowl drove record single-day museum attendance, pushed hotel occupancy into the mid‑90s and produced unusually large food and merchandise sales; a detailed economic-impact report and sales-tax tallies are pending next month’s sales-tax receipts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551858,"City outlines compensation strategy: minimum wage raised, phased pay adjustments planned",1104,6602000,7706000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412&start=6602&end=7706","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5323687-435277f9cf58a8566675792e2c93d412/thumbnail_6602000.jpg","/articles/6551858/El-Paso-City/El-Paso-County/Texas/City-outlines-compensation-strategy-minimum-wage-raised-phased-pay-adjustments-planned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551858-b331f88c73a71d001d4f04ccc64f54cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771029879&Signature=RhHoemilRpnmksNW3Vr4Hj5ZeC6akzwYhraDyIbkJeVTjXdKFZXXKwCmZiPHsq1d6AfMgMFXW7NjVcLBuqnYdVK2~YXM1gfInIfMARZC--aOnoimTcgqTKV-L4mdPvlJ7951HvHH3SmNmlA2wSedvI7-DCnxH9lOyvyLho9o8gyZGygCwJLDuePxNiRZAwNYgELcub1UMQG71TjJQs3PQA3pfsAyu0qeyV8k5yvojqxpQKTcbkBdYMb7kEQM~~dJitGysmR~GmVZvhQxj9frw-NPiHvVyKI2JGBD4eXmZuiI3kkKi9wDZ-HNbZhrk1E6YWj~pilOu1~twg1NrR4wrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The El Paso city Human Resources Department told City Council on July 7 that the city has already raised its minimum hourly wage substantially and will pursue a phased plan to make pay more competitive across other staff categories.

Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Wiggins said the city raised its minimum wage from about $10.36 in 2021 to $15.75 in February 2025, a 52% increase, and presented the second phase of a multi-year compensation strategy to raise starting pay for professional and managerial (PM) positions and address pay compression between newer and tenured staff.

Why it matters: the city said pay increases are the largest driver of the FY2026 spending proposal and are intended to improve recruitment and retention for a city that has experienced high vacancies since the pandemic.

What HR proposed and why
- Phase 1 (already implemented): general-services (entry-level) pay plan updated and minimum wage raised to $15.75, affecting some 3,500 employees.
- Phase 2 (proposed effective January 2026): raise the PM starting salary (proposed from $20.85 to $23.00) and implement tenure-based adjustments to reduce compression so longer-serving employees progress toward market-aligned pay. Projected cost for Phase 2 was presented at about $3.1 million.
- Phase 3 (future): additional adjustments, including review of executive and other pay bands.

Recruitment and turnover impacts: Wiggins reported a 49% increase in monthly recruitments for comparable months after the minimum-wage increase and said turnover has declined—civilians dropped 43% in turnover and uniformed turnover declined by 9% from 2024 to 2025. She also noted more than 1,000 total vacancies remain and a portion of those are unfunded positions created during pandemic-era staffing shifts.

Benefits and health costs: the city projects roughly $66.7 million in medical and pharmacy costs for FY2025; employee premium contributions cover part of that. Wiggins said the city has not raised employee health premiums since 2020 and does not plan to raise them for FY2026.

Operational notes: HR said it uses comparator cities and market data to set pay ranges and that the phase approach spreads cost over multiple years to address internal equity, external competitiveness and budget constraints. The department also highlighted workforce-development programs, a new Center for Opportunity Youth in the library system and other training initiatives as part of workforce strategy.

Ending: Wiggins told council she will return with implementation details and that staff will coordinate follow-up on recruitment, classifications and impacts to individual departments as phase 2 is rolled out.","Human Resources presented a multi-year compensation strategy that raised the city minimum wage to $15.75 in February and proposes a phase‑2 adjustment in January 2026 to raise starting pay on professional/managerial scales and address tenure compression; HR said recruitment and turnover have improved since the increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

El Paso city manager previews FY2026 budget, holds property tax rate and trims pay-go

Coldplay concerts push El Paso hotel occupancy, set new event records at UTEP

City outlines compensation strategy: minimum wage raised, phased pay adjustments planned