Rosenberg City Council Adopts FY2025-2026 Budget with Tax Cut, Infrastructure Investments, and Public Safety Enhancements
At its September 2 meeting, Rosenberg City Council officially adopted the Fiscal Year 2025–2026 Budget, totaling $110.9 million across all city funds. The newly approved budget marks a shift from last year’s $136.4 million plan, aligning spending with updated city priorities while continuing to invest in Rosenberg’s long-term growth, public safety, and resident services.
Among the most notable changes: a reduced property tax rate of $0.30 per $100 of valuation, down from the previously proposed $0.33. Council members directed city staff to use approximately $1.5 million from the General Fund balance to help close the gap and deliver relief to residents.
Focus on Core Services and Public Safety
The General Fund—which supports essential city services like police, fire, public works, and code compliance—makes up $43.7 million of the total budget. The lion’s share of that, roughly $33.6 million, is dedicated to personnel services.
Rosenberg will also add four new full-time positions to better serve the community:
- Infrastructure Plans Examiner (Engineering)
- Building Inspector (Code Compliance)
- EMS Captain (Fire Department)
- Maintenance & Operations Technician (Water Distribution)
One of the most resident-visible investments comes in the form of public safety salary enhancements. Police officers received a 10% pay increase effective June 1, 2025, along with an 8% raise for sergeants and 5% for lieutenants. A new step pay plan for dispatchers includes a 22% base salary increase, and all step pay plan employees are receiving an additional 2.5% step increase. Other city employees are seeing a 5% salary increase across the board.
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Utility Fees Hold Steady for Most
In a move that will be welcome news for local households, no increases were made to water or sewer rates. However, a $0.20 increase to the subsidence fee and a 1.34% contract-based increase to solid waste collection fees were included. Additionally, the city will cover a 20.7% increase in employee health insurance costs, without passing those costs onto staff.
Investments in Infrastructure and Neighborhood Quality of Life
The FY2026 budget supports a variety of capital improvements that touch nearly every corner of the community:
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Street and Sidewalk Improvements: $1 million has been allocated for repairs and upgrades throughout the city.
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Parks Enhancements
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Pavilion roof replacements at Travis Park
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Lighting upgrades at Seabourne Creek Sports Complex
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New LED lighting at Sunset Park
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Field improvements across Seabourne Creek
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Police Department Equipment Modernization
- Body-worn cameras
- Dash cameras
- Interview room cameras
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Tasers
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Water and Wastewater Projects
- Clarifier rehabilitation
- Water line improvements and meter replacements
- Collection system rehabilitation
- Aeration basin assessment
- Recoating of elevated storage tanks
- Installation of plant analyzers
These projects align with the city’s broader infrastructure goals and reflect residents' priorities for safety, quality services, and smart growth.
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A Continuation of Fiscal Responsibility
This year’s reduced property tax rate reflects Rosenberg’s ongoing efforts to balance taxpayer relief with strategic investment. By comparison, the FY2025 budget adopted last September totaled $136.4 million and included five new full-time positions, $3.1 million in capital projects, and over $30 million in water and sewer infrastructure improvements. That budget also lowered the tax rate from $0.342364 to $0.32 per $100 valuation and increased exemptions for seniors and disabled residents.
As Rosenberg continues to grow, city officials say the FY2026 budget reflects a practical, community-centered approach to both challenges and opportunities.
Want to Learn More?
Residents can explore the full FY2026 budget and presentation materials by visiting RosenbergTX.gov/Budget. Questions may also be directed to the City’s Finance Department at finance@rosenbergtx.gov or by calling 832-595-3350.
Stay tuned with My Neighborhood News for updates on future City of Rosenberg projects, council meetings, and resident resources.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
