The Friendswood City Council on Sept. 8 held a public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2025–26 tax rate and adopted an ordinance that sets the city's combined ad valorem rate at 0.514172 per $100 of assessed value, the same city rate as the prior year.
Rhonda Velasquez, Friendswood finance director, told the council that the budget adopted Aug. 25 assumed a tax rate of 0.514172 and that the rate produces about $22.8 million for the general fund and about $6.5 million for debt service for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026.
The hearing drew no public speakers. A council member moved to adopt the ordinance on first and final reading and the motion passed 6-0.
In explaining the result, the mayor and several council members emphasized that the city maintained its tax rate and that any taxpayer increase would result from higher property appraisals, which are outside city control. Velasquez answered council questions about the budget assumptions underlying the numbers presented.
The ordinance required a record vote and a supermajority; the council recorded a unanimous vote in favor. The council also acknowledged the staff work to reduce the proposed rate after the August presentation.
The council did not take any additional changes to the adopted budget during the vote. The city will levy the adopted rate for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025 and ending Sept. 30, 2026.
Further public comment on the tax rate was not offered at the hearing.