Pflugerville City Council approved its budget and tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year at its Sept. 8 meeting.

What you need to know: Council approved an ordinance setting the property tax rate at $0.5436 per $100 valuation to support the city's $481.4 million budget. The tax rate is up from last year's rate of $0.535 per $100 valuation. The vote was 5-2, with council members Melody Ryan and David Rogers voting no.

Both Ryan and Rogers advocated for the no-new-revenue rate of $0.5407 to prevent compounding tax rate increases in future years.

Because the average taxable homestead value fell from $378,234 to $362,231, a resident’s annual estimated city tax bill is expected to decline from about $2,024 to $1,969, a $55 decrease.

Additionally, as part of the fee schedule approved alongside the budget, council adopted new water and wastewater utility rates. About 75% of utility customers should see lower water and wastewater bills under the new rate structure, council member Jonathan Coffman said.

Dig deeper: The budget is largely focused on infrastructure, with more than $200 million going toward utility and other capital projects. It also funds the new Monarch recreation center, transportation improvements, parks projects, public safety and day-to-day operations.

After over 40 years in business, Springhill Restaurant will close on Oct. 16. 

The details: Carroll Humphrey opened Springhill in 1985. The restaurant serves shrimp and catfish dinner platters, burgers, and sandwiches as well as desserts like peach cobbler.

Owner Jack Payne said the restaurant informed its employees of the closure on Sept. 9. 

Springhill will hold an online auction for memorabilia from the restaurant, Payne said.

Quote of note: “We appreciate the loyalty of the customers and all the people that have come here for years and years, all the different generations,” Payne said.  

• 2505 W. Pecan St., Pflugerville

For the first time in over a decade, there is no incumbent in the Texas attorney general's race as Republican Ken Paxton runs for U.S. Senate.

Democrat Nathan Johnson, a state senator from Dallas; Republican Mayes Middleton, a state senator from Galveston; and Libertarian Tom Oxford, an attorney from Nederland, are running to replace him this November. Community Impact asked the candidates for their perspectives on Texas' open records laws, state litigation and other topics.

How we got here: Johnson and Middleton each won their primary runoff elections in May, Community Impact reported, while Oxford was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

Looking ahead: Early voting in eight statewide races and dozens of local elections runs from Oct. 19-30. Election Day is Nov. 3.