Austin leaders are reviewing the city's proposed $6.63 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27, a nearly 5% larger spending plan that would raise the typical household's costs about $350. City Manager T.C. Broadnax framed the budget, which includes millions of dollars in cuts to Austin's social services grants, as maintaining long-term fiscal stability while withstanding local revenue challenges.

The draft FY 2026-27 budget is about $301 million larger than the current $6.32 billion spending plan. It includes a $1.54 billion general fund largely backed by tax collections that supports many community services, from parks and libraries to public safety and social programs.

The proposed tax rate is the maximum allowed under state law, a more than 10% increase. That change would add $174 to the typical annual property tax bill, based on Austin's projected median homestead value of $484,907 next year—down $10,000 from this year's median of $494,803.

The next in a series of public meetings covering budget details will be held July 22.

Candidates for Austin City Council races in this year's November election raised more than $450,000 and had over $1 million available as of this summer, with several council incumbents making up more than half of that cash on hand total.

The details: Council seats in Districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9 will be on the ballot this fall. Four of those races are expected to include incumbent council members seeking to defend their seats, while District 1 council member Natasha Harper-Madison is term-limited and leaving office.

All incumbents reported high financial totals in their campaigns so far this year, with some challengers keeping pace across the district contests. The official candidate filing period for places on the ballot will run through Aug. 17.

Relatively little activity was reported by local political action committees, aside from Save Austin Now, which drew more than $526,000 in individual and corporate donations. The PAC reported no spending and had just under $8,200 still available as of June as it campaigns for its citywide auditing ballot measure.

A new report from the Central Texas Community Foundation shows that in the year since July floods impacted the Texas Hill Country, the Round Rock-based nonprofit generated $9.4 million in donations to support those impacted. 

The big picture: The foundation released a one-year impact report July 1 detailing fundraising efforts in the wake of historic flooding impacting much of Central Texas in July 2025. 

Zooming in: The report shows over 1,200 individual donors as well as 150 organizers and corporate partners supported the Travis and Williamson County CARES Funds, with $8 million in direct financial assistance distributed to impacted families. An additional $1.4 million in flood recovery funding was distributed in Burnet and Concho counties, according to the foundation. 

This funding assisted about 260 families located in Travis and Williamson counties, the report states.

Check out some top trending stories from the Austin area July 13-16. 

1. New Austin-area professional arena football team set to kick off in 2027

2. Check out 3 stories coming out of Hays County school districts

3. Round Rock Burger King to get $300K remodel

4. New $2.2B Cedar Creek data center project, abatements under review

5. Pharmaceutical venture announces $500M expansion in Northwest Austin

6. New Braunfels City Council appoints new acting city attorney