Friendswood officials are considering a tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 that is $0.456 higher than the current rate. Between now and when the city must adopt its tax rate in September, city officials can consider a lower rate.

Why it matters: City Manager Morad Kabiri said city staff are proposing a higher tax rate partially due to changes in federal and state policy that have created new costs for the city.

The details: Friendswood City Council voted unanimously at its Aug. 3 meeting to propose a tax rate of $0.559723 per $100 valuation of a home, an increase officials and city staff said was due to rising debt service obligations, a 2.75% merit increase for staff and the need to fund deferred maintenance. 

Looking ahead: On Sept. 14, City Council will hold a public hearing at Council Chambers, located at 910 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, where residents can share feedback before council votes to officially adopt the tax rate and budget for FY 2026-27.

Travelers flying through Houston's William P. Hobby Airport now have a new off-airport parking option with the opening of Hobby Airport Parking on July 13, according to a news release from Paquin Public Relations.

What you need to know: Located 2.5 miles from the airport, the new facility offers uncovered and covered parking, along with complimentary shuttle service, according to the release.

Walmart on July 23 announced a multiyear workforce development grant in Houston aimed at helping workers in several communities prepare for higher-quality career opportunities over the next five years, according to a news release.

Walmart and Walmart Foundation announced an initial $250,000 grant to the Greater Houston Partnership to expand the workforce priorities of the Houston Economic Mobility Coalition, while United Way of Houston, Houston City College and San Jacinto College will also be partners in the effort, according to the release.

Another detail: The announcement was made at the Walmart location at 3040 College Park Drive, Conroe, which is also the location of the Walmart Academy in the area, officials said. The grant coincides with the 10th anniversary of Walmart Academy, a private training program that has seen over 4 million training completions since 2016, according to the news release.

Texas is halting the approval of new data center projects until state regulators can audit all data centers seeking to connect to the power grid, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Aug. 3.

The overview: The governor directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to conduct “a comprehensive verification and audit” of all data center applicants “before any additional data centers are approved to move forward.” 

Data center regulation has emerged as a bipartisan issue in recent months, and the move comes amid both growing public criticism of Texas’ booming data center industry and recent political pressure for Abbott to respond.

Zooming in: Abbott asked the PUC and ERCOT to collect information about the tax exemptions each data center is collecting; details about each project's anticipated water and electricity usage; and how data center developers will work to limit noise, light pollution and other impacts on local communities.

Officials did not say how long the pause would last or when the audits would begin.