ATX-CTA: Impact 8/13/2026

Good Morning, Central Austin!

Top Story

Austin adopts $6.6B budget and tax rate increase

Austin leaders approved a record $6.63 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27. The spending plan was adopted alongside a higher tax rate that would increase the typical homeowner's property tax bill more than 8%.

The details: The new budget will be nearly 5% larger than the current $6.3 billion plan for FY 2025-26. Departments responsible for parks and libraries, public safety and health programs, and housing and homelessness services are included within the $1.54 billion general fund, which is growing about 3.6%.

Austin's FY 2026-27 tax rate was set at $0.579948 per $100 in property value, the maximum allowed under state law without seeking voter approval. The new rate will increase the typical annual property tax bill from $2,074 to about $2,250, based on the city's projected median homestead value of $484,907.

In a divided vote, officials also funded the start-up of a new joint emergency communications office to begin transitioning some of the city's 911 response system away from Austin Police oversight.

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Market Story

Austin Padel Center now offering indoor padel courts, amenities

Austin Padel Center held a grand opening Aug. 7 to celebrate the official opening of all of its padel courts.

The details: After opening its first three indoor climate-controlled padel courts in March, the remaining six padel courts are now open. The facility also offers a variety of amenities such as a recovery area with a sauna and cold plunge, a pro shop, and a full bar with food and beverages. Memberships and introductory classes are available to book.

Did you know? The 22,000 square-foot facility took over the interactive art exhibit Wonderspaces building, which closed last year.

1205 Sheldon Cove, Ste. 2-A, Austin

ATX Chamber Music and Jazz to hold most significant gathering of jazz artists in Texas history at Moody Amphitheater

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Moment of Tea launches tea house at Casa de Luz Village

Owner Tran Nguyen launched Moment of Tea on the second floor of Casa de Luz Village. The Japanese-inspired tea house is serving up fresh brews with the motto “Come for the tea, stay for the community,” according to Nguyen.

On the menu : The menu will soon change to feature seasonal teas, tea flights and light bites in the next few weeks, Nguyen said. Moment of Tea offers primarily Japanese teas, served hot, blended warm with milk or cold brewed.

Japanese teas include Matcha Otome, Hojicha Yuu, Genmaicha Suzu and Sobacha Aiji. The menu includes a range of caffeinated options as well.

Stay tuned: The tea house plans to offer programming like tea and meditation, tea ceremonies and tea and food pairings, according to Nguyen.

1701 Toomey Road, Austin

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In Your Community

Dell Children's celebrates first stem cell transplant patient's cancer-free milestone

Five-year-old Avry Jo Schapansky rang the bell at Dell Children's Blood and Cancer Center on Aug. 7, celebrating the end of her cancer treatment and marking her as the first patient in Central Texas to complete a stem cell transplant through the hospital's new program.

Why it matters: Before Dell Children's launched the program in August 2025, families needing this level of care had to travel outside Central Texas, often for a month or longer, to hospitals in Houston, Dallas or San Antonio.
Schapansky, diagnosed with high-risk Stage 4 neuroblastoma, underwent a roughly year-and-a-half treatment plan that included chemotherapy, surgery, tandem stem cell transplants and radiation.

Dr. Shannon Cohn, her pediatric oncologist, said the family's decision to stay reflected trust in a brand-new transplant team.

The program was made possible in part through a gift from the Shivers Cancer Foundation, which helped recruit Dr. Amir Mian to lead it, along with a partnership with nonprofit blood center We Are Blood. Dell Children's is now working toward offering CAR T-cell therapy and gene therapy in 2026.