Manvel approves budget, flat tax rate for FY 2025-26
After months of discussion, changes and lingering uncertainties, Manvel City Council approved its fiscal year 2025-26 budget at its Sept. 15 meeting.
The budget, which initially appeared to exclude any new staff and include only minimal supplemental requests from staff, will ultimately add 34 of the 35 requested additions and a total of 13 new full-time equivalent staff positions, according to budget documents.
Long story short: Out of a budget that, all told, totals about $96.3 million, the city’s general fund will total about $19.3 million, the largest general fund the city has had, according to previous budget reports.
Diving in deeper: Some of the highlights in the budget include an increase in sales tax revenue totaling nearly $1.5 million more compared to last year.
How we got here: The budget cycle for the city was something officials had previously described as challenging.
What they said: During a workshop prior to approval, a couple of council members said they wanted to take a more active approach in discussing the budget throughout the year.
Visitors at NRG Park will have access to a new 240-foot-long rideshare canopy, according to a Sept. 11 news release from NRG Park.
The canopy was officially unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 12.
The overview: The rideshare canopy, which is in the Yellow Lot of the park, will have the following features:
Protected pedestrian loading zone
ADA-accessible walkways
The cost: The total project cost is estimated at $675,000, according to the news release.
Funding was split among the:
Houston Texans
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, or HCSCC
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ, 24
TIRZ 24 contributed $300,000, while the remaining cost was divided equally among HCSCC, the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the release notes.
University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance announces its 2025-26 season
The big picture: The School of Theatre & Dance at the University of Houston announced its 2025-26 season featuring classical adaptations, musical theatre and student-written premieres, according to a Sept. 9 news release. The season will kick off with "The Circadian Project” on Sept. 25 and end with the 10-Minute Play Festival in May.
What they're saying: “Our 2025-26 season celebrates the power of live performance across a wide spectrum,” Sharon Ott, director of the School of Theatre & Dance, said in the release. “From the haunting beauty of ‘Frankenstein’ to the vibrant energy of student choreography and award-winning new plays, this season offers something for every audience.”
