HTX-PLF: Impact 9/24/2025

Pearland City Council approved the city’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget and a tax rate of $0.63 per $100 valuation at its Sept. 22 meeting.

What you need to know: City Council voted 5-1 to approve a tax rate of $0.63 per $100 valuation of a home, which is lower than the city’s maximum tax rate the council approved in August, but higher than the city’s no-new-revenue rate of $0.619439, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

Those opposed: Several residents at the meeting asked City Council to adopt a rate no higher than the no-new-revenue rate of $0.619439, citing economic pressures such as rising appraisals and a projected 5.5% water rate increase.

Gemini Urgent Care recently opened a new location in Friendswood, adding to the company’s first location in Clear Lake. 

The overview: The urgent care is owned by long-time Clear Lake resident Dr. Sajid Khan, who is the author of “The Ultimate Emergency Medicine Guide.”

Gemini Urgent Care is open seven days a week and offers on-site IVs, X-rays, sutures and physical examinations, along with other services, Dr. Khan said. Patients can also receive testing for various illnesses, pediatric care and IV vitamin drip therapy. 

📍1111 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood

Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess formally announced she will not seek reelection for a third term as the district clerk of Texas’ largest county. Burgess said in a Sept. 22 news release that she also won’t pursue another political office.

The details: Burgess and her staff support the legal proceedings within more than 90 courts in Harris County. She first took office in 2019, then went on to win reelection in 2022. Her current term ends Dec. 31, 2026.

Quote of note: “I have truly loved this job and everything we have accomplished,” Burgess said. “When I leave this office on Dec. 31, 2026, it will be with my head held high, proud of our work, and grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Harris County.”

The context: The announcement comes less than a week after Burgess appeared before Harris County commissioners Sept. 18, addressing her request for a raise with the county’s salary grievance committee.

This school year, students who are eligible for reduced-price meals can receive free breakfast and lunch at public schools across Texas.

The overview: During the recent legislative session, state lawmakers approved $19.8 million to cover the cost of reduced-price meals for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.

What parents should know: Eligibility for free school meals is determined based on a family’s income through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.

Families can contact their school district to fill out an application for free or reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. Students who are deemed eligible for reduced-price meals will receive them at no cost through the 2026-27 school year.

What they're saying: “Kids who would have paid a small fee for meals will now receive them at no cost,” said Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. “[School] is where we know so many kids get their meals—it is a guaranteed place for kids to have access to free and nutritional meals.”