League City property owners will pay a lower tax rate for the 12th straight year. The City Council adopted a $333 million budget for fiscal year 2027 on Sept. 8.
The adopted tax rate of $0.356505 per $100 valuation is $0.007045 lower than the current year. For a homeowner with a $300,000 property and a 20% homestead exemption, the annual city tax bill drops to about $856. That same bill was $1,433 in 2015.
The city's announcement did not include the vote tally.
The budget splits into $208.7 million for city services and $124.3 million for capital improvement projects. It is built on the no-new-revenue rate, meaning the city collects roughly the same total property tax dollars despite rising values. League City's total taxable appraised value grew 1.5%, from $13.25 billion to $13.45 billion, according to figures presented at an Aug. 11 budget workshop.
Projected property tax revenue is $48.8 million, with 84% flowing to the General Fund.
City Manager John Baumgartner framed the constraint when he delivered the proposed budget to Council on July 14. "The budget is based on the no new revenue rate, so we try to hold true to that and can't fit everything that staff has asked for or that we think was worthy of inclusion in the budget," Baumgartner said.
New hires and public safety
The budget funds 7.75 new full-time-equivalent positions. Two paramedics and two EMTs will staff a peak-time ambulance the city purchased in FY2026. The Police Department adds a senior crime analyst, and the budget removes one Economic Development coordinator position.
Parks and Recreation picks up seasonal staff to expand the city's summer camp program to a west-side location: three assistant camp directors and twelve camp counselors.
On the equipment side, the police department gets new vehicles, updated digital forensic platforms and evidence software, and medical kits for all patrol vehicles. EMS adds three ventilators and ten infusion pumps.
Ballpark, library and road projects
The Ballpark at League City receives $300,000 for backstop netting on all six fields, $100,000 to seed a capital reserve fund for future replacement of outfield walls, turf, lighting and roofing, and $40,000 in additional special-events funding. The ballpark budget also includes a $300,000 overhead payment to the General Fund for administrative services.
The Helen Hall Library gets $148,500 to replace its automated materials handler and four self-checkout machines. Utility Billing receives $200,000 for two Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) receiving towers. Woodcock Street gets $70,000 for a stabilized limestone road surface.
Employee pay and benefits
Civilian employees earning below $80,000 receive a 2.25% cost-of-living raise. Those at or above $80,000 get 1.75%. All civilian employees are eligible for a 2% performance-based merit increase. Civil service employees receive 3.5% cost-of-living and step raises.
The budget also sets aside $412,000 to launch a 1% 457 retirement match for employees with five or more years of service.
Capital improvement cash funding rises to $10.2 million, up $2.2 million from FY2026. An additional $200,000 goes toward paying down the city's unfunded liability with the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS).
Council also approved a Capital Improvement Plan addendum that adds a walking trail along a new detention pond under construction in the Oaks of Clear Creek subdivision, according to the city's official Instagram account. The city said future detention and retention pond projects will incorporate trails when possible.
The FY2027 budget takes effect Oct. 1.
