Lakeway City Council discussed potentially adopting a de minimis tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 at an Aug. 3 council meeting.

The overview: The city of Lakeway is projected to have a $1.6 million shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year as revenues are down by 5.5% and expenditures have increased by nearly 6%, per previous reporting from Community Impact.

In order to work towards eliminating the projected shortfall, Lakeway city staff recommended that council approves a de minimis tax rate for fiscal year 2027.

A de minimis rate is a rate designed to give smaller cities—cities with a population of less than 30,000—flexibility to adopt a tax rate that generates $500,000 more in property tax revenue than the previous year without triggering the voter-approval rate, according to the Texas Comptroller.

The details: The de minimis rate is expected to increase property taxes by approximately $80 per year, or $6.67 per month, on the average home value in Lakeway, which is projected to be $857,615 next fiscal year, according to city documents.

Several transportation projects are changing the flow of traffic in Lake Travis and Westlake this month.

From the MoPac South expansion to the Bee Cave Parkway pavement program, check out these nine transportation projects in the area.

Upcoming projects

MoPac South expansion: The project includes added express lanes from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane alongside shared-use paths, according to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.

Update: The cost for the project increased more than $400 million, per documents from a Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority Board of Directors meeting presentation in July.

Timeline: TBD
Cost: $1.3 billion
Funding source: TBD

Highlands Boulevard intersection improvements: The intersection improvements include installing raised sidewalks on Highlands Boulevard at the intersection of Tavish Trail and Bee Creek Road roundabouts.

Update: Lakeway City Council awarded the bid for the project to MasTec North America Inc. in July after previously denying the lowest bidder due to performance and quality concerns.

Timeline: TBD
Cost: $677,105

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officials announced in a July 29 news release that the airport recorded its busiest month ever for passenger traffic in June, servicing 2,102,853 departing and arriving passengers.

The details: Per the release, AUS' passenger traffic growth for June 2026 was up 4.4% compared to June 2025. Data also shows that Southwest Airlines saw the most passenger traffic in June with with 916,510 passengers served, up 10.9% year-over-year. While JetBlue Airways only serviced 26,929 passengers, it had the highest year-over-year passenger increase at 241.7%. The number of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Copa Airlines and VivaAerobus passengers were also up year-over-year, while American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, Air Canada, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Aeromexico and Sun Country Airlines saw a decrease in passengers year-over-year. WestJet had the highest dip with 2,104 passengers, down 44%.

In case you missed it: Along with ongoing multi-year expansion efforts which includes terminal and airfield infrastructure work, the airport has launched several new airline routes and accessibility initiatives in recent months.

A housing development in Pflugerville, an apartment complex in Austin and pool expansions at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Cedar Park are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Carmel East Phase 4 ($529.9 million): Carmel East Phase 4 is part of the final 954-homesite expansion of the Carmel Master-planned community in Pflugerville, Texas.

2. Aluna ($75 million): This project involves the construction of 7,305 square feet of leasing office and clubhouse space for a 372-unit apartment community.

3. Veterans Memorial Pool Expansion ($10.5 million): This project includes a proposed 8,000 square-foot wave pool building, a 1,250 square-foot event building and a 3,000 square-foot splash area at Veterans Memorial Park.

4. AA AUS Lounge ($10 million): This project includes interior renovation of the American Airlines lounge in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

5. Westlake Dermatology ($5 million): This project involves the construction of a 4,262-square-foot building that will be the site of a new Westlake Dermatology location.