Municue

City Council · 10:00 AM · Austin City Hall

The agenda featured 32 substantive items centered on the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget package, including the tax rate levy, budget adoption, a fees and charges ordinance, and public hearings on utility and service rates. Staff also scheduled a series of Council resolutions directing the City Manager on policing, parks security, microbusiness permitting and drainage funding.

Analysis based on the published agenda — official vote outcomes not yet available.

Analysis

Financial Highlights

The agenda featured the full set of Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget actions, including the property tax rate levy, the budget adoption ordinance, a fees and charges ordinance, and four public hearings on utility and service rate changes.[#1][#2][#3][#4][#5][#7][#11][#8][#9][#10][#6][#12][#14][#18][#20][#22]

Zoning

The agenda included a proposed resolution (Item 16-2, File 26-2368) directing the City Manager to propose City Code amendments that would classify "microbusiness" and adjust permitting and licensing requirements to reduce barriers to entry.[#16]

Infrastructure & Facilities

The agenda included public hearings on proposed FY 2026-2027 rate and fee changes for Austin Resource Recovery, Austin Water and Austin Energy, plus a proposed drainage charge rate change for Austin Watershed Protection.[#2][#3][#4][#5][#18][#20]

Public Safety

The agenda included classified-service position ordinances for Austin Fire, ATCEMS and Austin Police, along with resolutions on police performance measures, police misconduct records, parks security, and a joint emergency communications department.[#8][#9][#10][#15][#17][#19][#21]

Housing

The agenda included a proposed one-year service agreement with the Austin Housing Finance Corporation to manage and operate various housing programs on the City's behalf in Fiscal Year 2026-2027, in an amount not to exceed $90,506,483.[#12]

Governance & Oversight

The agenda featured resolutions directing the City Manager to review Austin Police performance measures, produce a summary of police misconduct complaints (the "G-file") with a cost and barrier assessment for a public database, and create an independent Joint Emergency Communications Department outside the Austin Police Department.[#2][#3][#1][#2][#3][#4][#5][#7][#11][#8][#9][#10][#6][#15][#19][#21][#23][#24]

Community Impact

The agenda included Council resolutions on microbusiness fee waivers, parks security, a Circle C-to-Hielscher nature trail, drainage charge sufficiency, and social services contracts proposed for reduction or elimination in the FY 2026-2027 budget.[#18][#13][#14][#16][#17][#18][#20][#22]

Insights by Role

Contractor

HighHigh significance — major decision, large financial impact, or broad community effectItem 12 proposed a one-year service agreement of up to $90,506,483 with the Austin Housing Finance Corporation, and Items 14 and 22 were also contract-related agenda items. If approved, work flowing through the corporation's housing programs could create subcontracting and vendor opportunities.

Resident

HighHigh significance — major decision, large financial impact, or broad community effectPublic hearings on proposed Austin Water, Austin Energy, Austin Resource Recovery and drainage rate changes were on the agenda, and residents who would pay these charges can register to speak. Parks security and a Circle C-to-Hielscher nature trail were also scheduled as resolutions.

Journalist

MediumMedium significance — notable action worth trackingThe $90,506,483 housing agreement (Item 12) and the police-related resolutions (Items 6, 7, 8 and 9) are the clearest story threads. Questions center on what the corporation would manage and what the misconduct database assessment would cost.

Lobbyist

MediumMedium significance — notable action worth trackingCouncil-sponsored directives on police oversight, emergency communications and microbusiness permitting are scheduled alongside the budget package, giving advocates a window to engage sponsors before consideration.

Developer

LowLow significance — routine or procedural itemItem 16-2 proposed City Code amendments classifying microbusinesses and easing permitting and licensing requirements, which could affect small commercial tenants and mixed-use projects if adopted.

32 items(1 procedural hidden)

AI-generated summaries. Click to expand for original text.

#2The City Council may go into a closed session as permitted by the Texas Open Meetings Act, (Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code) regarding any item on this agenda.

#310:00 AM – City Council Convenes

#4Budget and Organizational Excellence

#1Public hearing and approval of an ordinance adopting and levying the City's property (ad valorem) tax rate for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

#2Conduct a public hearing on proposed rate and fee changes for Austin Resource Recovery as part of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 proposed budget.

#3Public hearing on a proposed drainage charge rate change for Austin Watershed Protection as part of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 proposed budget.

#4Public hearing on proposed rate and fee changes for Austin Water as part of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 proposed budget.

#5Public hearing and consideration of proposed rate and fee changes for Austin Energy as part of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 proposed budget.

#6Public hearing and ordinance authorizing the City's fees, fines, and other charges for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027), including the waiver of certain fees and charges.

#7Ordinance adopting the City of Austin Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, covering October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

#8Approve an ordinance establishing classifications and positions in the classified service of Austin Fire, creating certain positions, and repealing Ordinance No. 20251218-003 relating to Austin Fire classifications and positions.

#9Approve an ordinance establishing classifications and positions in the classified service of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, repealing prior Ordinance No. 20250813-007 on the same subject. Funding is available in the ATCEMS Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget.

#10Approve an ordinance establishing classifications and positions in the classified service of Austin Police, repealing prior Ordinance No. 20250813-008 on the same subject. Funding is available in the Austin Police Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget.

#11Ratification of the property tax increase reflected in the adopted Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget.

#16Housing

#12Authorize a one-year service agreement with the Austin Housing Finance Corporation to manage and operate various City housing programs during Fiscal Year 2026-2027, in an amount not to exceed $90,506,483.

#18Item(s) from Council

#13Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to study fees and regulations for special events held in parks, propose options for accepting special event proposals at underutilized parks, and provide a progress report on Resolution No. 20240215-023 regarding accessible, inclusive, open-to-the-public events and City co-sponsorship partnerships.

#14Resolution directing the City Manager to develop a schedule and process for reviewing social services and contracting performance, in coordination with Council Committees, and to report back to Council.

#15Resolution directing the City Manager to review and make recommendations on key performance measures for the Austin Police Department, including a comprehensive review of existing data, audits, and performance management models.

#16Resolution directing the City Manager to propose City Code amendments classifying "microbusiness," adjusting permitting and licensing requirements to lower barriers to entry, setting eligibility criteria, and creating a City fee waiver program for qualifying microbusinesses.

#17Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to develop a security implementation plan for City parks and recreation lands and facilities, including acquiring and deploying safety equipment, with any surveillance technology complying with the TRUST Act (Ordinance No. 20260423-029) and prioritized for parks with a history of violent crime.

#18Resolution directing the City Manager to create a nature trail connecting Circle C Metropolitan Park to the Hielscher Tract Greenbelt trail through adjacent City-owned land, with environmental protections, community partner engagement, and funding identified in the FY 2026-2027 Budget.

#19Resolution directing the City Manager to establish an Office of Joint Emergency Communications within the Management Services Department and take steps toward creating an independent Joint Emergency Communications Department outside of the Austin Police Department.

#20Resolution directing the City Manager to study whether the proposed drainage charge rate increase for Austin Watershed Protection in the FY 2026-2027 proposed budget is sufficient for the City's drainage infrastructure needs, and to bring back ordinances if a further increase is needed.

#21Resolution directing the City Manager to provide Council with a summary list of police misconduct complaints (the "G-file") and an assessment of costs and legal, technological, or operational barriers to creating a publicly accessible online misconduct database.

#22A council resolution directing the City Manager to evaluate and develop recommendations regarding social services contracts proposed for reduction or elimination in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget.

#2910:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting

#23The Mayor will recess the City Council meeting to conduct a Board of Directors' meeting of the Austin Housing Finance Corporation, after which the Council will reconvene. No fiscal impact.

#3110:30 AM - Mueller Local Government Corporation Meeting

#24The Mayor will recess the City Council meeting to convene a Board of Directors' meeting of the Mueller Local Government Corporation, after which the City Council will reconvene.

#33Adjourn

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