Sep 15, 2026 Council Meeting

[00:00:08]

HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 10:01 A.M. COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN, WILL YOU GO AHEAD AND SAY A PRAYER FOR US? ALL RIGHT. PLEASE STAND. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. LORD, WE JUST ASK THAT YOU PROTECT US, KEEP US, AND LET US SPEAK WITH CLEAR MINDS, CLEAR HEARTS. WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU BESTOWED UPON US. AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT, LORD. THANK YOU AGAIN. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALL

[1. 10788 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2026, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2027, BY APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR SAID PERIOD AND APPROPRIATING AND SETTING ASIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDS OUT OF THE GENERAL AND OTHER REVENUES AND UNAPPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY; AND ORDERING PUBLICATION (FIRST READING HELD SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT: A. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 MEDIAN-VALUED HOMESTEAD PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF MIDLAND, (1) THE CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ($0.347999 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $945.62, (2) THE ESTIMATED CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IF THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS ADOPTED ($0.383092 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $1,040.98, AND (3) THE ESTIMATED CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IF A BALANCED BUDGET FUNDED AT THE NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE AS CALCULATED UNDER CHAPTER 26, TAX CODE, IS ADOPTED ($0.383092 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $1040.98 B. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 MEDIAN-VALUED HOMESTEAD PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF MIDLAND, (1) THE CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ($0.347999 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $797.79, (2) THE ESTIMATED CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IF THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS ADOPTED ($0.383092 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $878.24, AND (3) THE ESTIMATED CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IF A BALANCED BUDGET FUNDED AT THE NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE AS CALCULATED UNDER CHAPTER 26, TAX CODE, IS ADOPTED ($0.383092 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE) IS $878.24 (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

UNAPPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR, FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, AND FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY AND ORDERING PUBLICATION. GOOD MORNING. DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE TODAY? YES, MA'AM. IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND, WE ARE.

I WOULD LIKE TO COVER JUST A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION, TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. AND OVERALL WE'RE ADOPTING. THERE'S THREE MAIN POINTS TO THIS. WE'RE ADOPTING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE'RE KEEPING OPERATIONS ESSENTIALLY FLAT, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR CAPITAL ITEMS WITH CASH INSTEAD OF DEBT. OUR STRATEGY, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN TO CREATE CAPACITY THROUGH THE EFFICIENCIES, THROUGH THE REVENUE STREAMS THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO KEEP THE TAX RATE AS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE PROPOSING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THAT MEANS THAT LAST YEAR, PROPERTIES PROVIDED 65.2 MILLION IN REVENUE, AND THOSE SAME PROPERTIES PROVIDE 65.2 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR. THE 2.4 MILLION IS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NEW PROPERTIES. SO THAT IS WHAT THAT NEW GROWTH IS. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO PRESENT THAT RESIDENTIAL HOME VALUES OVERALL DECREASED BY 6.6%, WHILE COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES INCREASED BY 13.2%.

ALSO, MINERALS HAD A DECREASE OF 19% FOR THIS VALUATION. AND ALSO OF NOTE, ALMOST HALF OF THE PROPERTIES SHOW A DECREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL. SO WE DID SOME CALCULATIONS WITH THE DATA FROM MKAD. AND ALMOST HALF OF THE PROPERTIES WILL SEE A DECREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.

WITH THIS NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THIS KEEPS US STILL ONE OF THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAX BILLS AMONG OUR PEER CITIES. WE ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT OF THE FULL BUDGET OF $504 MILLION, $46 MILLION OF THIS IS CAPITAL ONE TIME COST. SO IF WE REMOVE THAT THE BUDGET REMAINS FLAT. THAT MEANS IT'S WITHIN 1% OF LAST YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET. AND I JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ON THAT. COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED THAT WE PAY AS WE GO FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND AVOID DEBT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THAT BIG NUMBER, BECAUSE WE'RE SAVED UP MONEY IN ORDER TO THEN PAY FOR THOSE PROJECTS AT ONE TIME INSTEAD OF DOING IT WITH DEBT. SO JUST WANTED TO AGAIN REMIND THE COUNCIL OF THAT. AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PRIORITIES. IT IS OUR BIGGEST PRIORITY. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE MORE THAN

[00:05:03]

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

THE, THE MINERALS THAT SHE MENTIONED, WHENEVER IT WAS CALCULATED, IT WAS CALCULATED DURING A TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THE THE MINERALS WERE DOWN. SO THAT. THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BEING A FLAT BUDGET IN YEARS PAST THE LAST THREE BUDGET CYCLES, WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS DONE, BECAUSE THE VALUES HAVE GONE UP EVERY YEAR, THE COUNCIL REDUCED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, BUT PEOPLE STILL PROBABLY SAW AN INCREASE, AS SHE POINTED OUT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THE VALUES WERE DECREASED SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE STILL SEE A TAX DECREASE, EVEN THOUGH THAT WE ADJUSTED THE TAX RATE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, MEANING THAT IN YEARS PAST WE WEREN'T AT NO NEW REVENUE. SO BY BEING AT NO NEW REVENUE, WE ARE NOT INCREASING THE REVENUE WE RECEIVED THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO THIS YEAR. SO THE FACT THAT THAT PROPERTY TAX IS ADJUSTED IS, IS MISLEADING BECAUSE IN YEARS IN THE LAST THREE BUDGET CYCLES, YOU REDUCED THE TAX RATE AND PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT RATE DECREASE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY PAID IN TAXES THIS YEAR, AT LEAST HALF, ABOUT 46% WILL SEE A TAX DECREASE. TO GO TO YOUR QUESTION, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS ACROSS THE CITY TO FIND INSTANCES WHERE WE CAN LOWER OUR COST. AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS I KNOW IN PARKS, INSTEAD OF HIRING SOMEONE TO DO A LOT OF THE SPRAYING FOR WEEDS AND ETC. THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR OWN CHEMICALS, THOSE COSTS WENT UP, BUT THEIR CONTRACT COSTS WENT DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO SPRAY IT THEMSELVES. SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO USE OUR OWN STAFF. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE IN HOUSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR CERTAIN ROADS, ALLEYS, SIDEWALKS, ETC. THAT WE HAVE FOUND SAVINGS THAT WAY. WE DO HAVE TO OFFSET THAT WITH THE COST OF STAFFING FOR THOSE THINGS. BUT WE'VE, WE'VE CONTINUALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO FIND THOSE SAVINGS. AND I KNOW JUST RECENTLY WE FOUND SAVINGS IN ONE OF OUR I.T. CONTRACTS THAT HAD TO BE RENEWED. AND, AND THEY TRY TO GO UP ON YOU ALL THE TIME. AND THEY HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO GET THAT CONTRACT DOWN. THEY RESTRUCTURED THE CONTRACT FOR MORE YEARS. IT'S SOMETHING WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED ANYWAY. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A LOWER COST. SO IT'S JUST EFFORT AND A CONTINUOUS MINDSET ACROSS THE CITY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR LESS. YEAH. AND I APPRECIATE STAFF DOING A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TOO, WITH PROCUREMENT AND GOING THROUGH SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT THINGS AND FINDING WAYS TO CUT SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES TO WHERE WE CAN, WHERE WE CAN USE THAT MONEY IN OTHER WAYS THAT ARE MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THE TAXPAYERS. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND IN THOSE CASES, TO YOUR POINT, THEY GO TOWARDS THESE OTHER INCREASES THAT WE SEE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY. SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WHERE DID THOSE SAVINGS GO? WELL, THEY WENT TO ABSORB THESE INCREASES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO IMPACT THEM IN OTHER WAYS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I DO HAVE. THANK YOU CHRISTIE. I DO HAVE A

[00:10:01]

IT'S ALL PART OF THE HEALING DIALECT. TO TRY AND JUSTIFY THESE THINGS IS WHAT IT IS. AND IF THIS COUNCIL, LIKE I BROUGHT LAST TIME AND AMY, IT WAS LACEY, RHONDA LACEY WHO SAID Y'ALL WERE THE STRONGEST, BEST COUNCIL WE'VE HAD. SO IF THERE'S ANY TRUTH TO THAT, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLICATE WHAT THE COUNCIL IN 2009 DID WHEN THEY FOUND 5.5 MILLION.

AND I CAME UP HERE AND SPOKE TO THEM AT THAT TIME, AND THEY FOUND 5.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS.

AND SO IF BETWEEN ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES, 1% OF 1 BILLION IS 10 MILLION. AND WHAT IS REPORTED ON THE RADIO FROM RACHEL WALKER OF PERMIAN PRESS IS TRUE, THAT Y'ALL GET A QUARTER OF EVERY DOLLAR IS BASICALLY WHAT IS BELONGING TO THE CITY. THAT MEANS WITH THESE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU'RE LOSING OUT ON 2.5 MILLION, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THE TAX RATE THE SAME, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND WHATEVER THAT 2.5 MILLION. THAT WOULD BE A. SO SO-CALLED LOSS BY CUTTING OUT TRAVEL EXPENSES. OTHER THINGS, I MEAN, WE SHOULD KEEP THE RATE THE SAME. A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE RUN TRUCKING COMPANIES, AND THEY'RE SEEING REALLY HIGH DIESEL PRICES RIGHT NOW. AND SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THINGS. AND THAT'S I WANT Y'ALL TO KEEP IT THE SAME AND POSSIBLY OPEN UP THE BUDGET AND INVITE US DOWN HERE INSTEAD OF SEEING US AS YOUR ENEMY AND AGAINST PROGRESS OR ANYTHING ELSE. BECAUSE WHENEVER I SPOKE HERE IN 2009, ONE OF THE EXPENSES I FOUND WE WERE STILL PAYING FOR PAGERS. AND YET EVERY SINGLE CITY EMPLOYEE IN 2009 HAD A CELL PHONE THAT WAS CAPABLE. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT CELL PHONE COMPANIES DID WAS GIVE UNLIMITED TEXT. YOU STILL HAD TO WAIT UNTIL 7:00 AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR CELL PHONE AND MAKE UNLIMITED LONG DISTANCE CALLING. AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED SEEING A DECREASE IN LANDLINES, IS BECAUSE PEOPLE COULD HAVE THEIR CELL PHONE AND THEY COULD TALK UNLIMITED LONG DISTANCE. AND I MEAN, I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME, BUT COULD YOU ALL PLEASE INVITE US? JUDD CAMPBELL HE'S A CPA AND POSSIBLY HAVE SOME HEARINGS AND PRINT OUT THE BUDGET FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WITHOUT CHARGING US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR 300 PAGES AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO SIT HERE AND GO LINE BY LINE, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT UP TO THAT COUNCIL AND LIKE, SAY, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IT. AND THAT'S HOW WE DID THINGS. THEN WAS THE COUNCIL WORKED WITH US. THERE WAS NOT THIS ADVERSARIAL THING OF, YOU NEED TO SHUT UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. I MEAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE TO TALK. MAYOR PRO TEM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ISSUE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. THE CITY DOESN'T CHARGE FOR COPIES OF ITS BUDGET.

THE BUDGET IS POSTED ONLINE. ANYBODY CAN GO THERE AND REVIEW THE ENTIRE ITEM. IS THAT ALL 300? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION. IS THERE ANY IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS ITEM OR ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT THEN I'LL LOOK. GO AHEAD AND LOOK FOR A MOTION. I CAN GO AHEAD. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, SUBJECT TO THE AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET REFLECTED IN THE UPDATE DOCUMENT PREPARED BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THAT JUST GOES OVER ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE AT THE LAST MEETING. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SECOND BY NORMAN. THEN LET'S VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND THAT CHANGE WAS FOR THE PAY INCREASES FOR THE ENTRY LEVEL FOR FIRE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN CASE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING. YEAH. AND I DO WANT TO BRING AND JUST HAVE A REAL QUICK TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AS WELL. SO I APPRECIATE THE FIREFIGHTERS FOR BRINGING UP SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS. WE GOT TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS GOING TO BE CONTINUALLY AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW, I MEAN, WE CONTINUE TO SPEND MORE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO SPEND MORE ON PUBLIC SAFETY. I MEAN, WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THE BURN BUILDING, AND WE HAVE PAY, AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO

[00:15:02]

HERE. WE ARE. I THINK ALSO, TO YOUR POINT, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT COMPRESSION. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE BURN BUILDING COMPLETED THIS YEAR. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A GOAL

[2. 2026-124 - RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 BUDGET (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

YEAH. OKAY. WELL, I MEAN, IF IT'S ONE THROUGH FIVE, I'LL ASK MORE QUESTIONS. HE SAYS THAT THE BUDGET IS ONLINE. SO IS THAT ALL 300 OR ARE WE UP TO 350 OR 400 PAGES? HOW MANY PAGES ARE ON THERE THAT I MEAN, IS IT LINE BY LINE SHOWING WHAT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS SPENDING AND WHO EVERY SINGLE VENDOR CONTRACT WE HAVE? JUST LIKE I BROUGHT UP TO YOU ABOUT THE PAGERS, I MEAN, THAT WAS A LOCAL PAGER COMPANY THAT WAS LOCATED OVER THERE BEHIND WHERE OUR OLD TAX OFFICE USED TO BE TO GET OUR REGISTRATION. THEY WERE LOCAL. AND SO THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS BENEFITING FROM THAT. IT WAS I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM IN THIS TOWN. EVERY ONE OF US DOES. AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM IT. AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU'RE ALL CORRUPT IS BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE OPEN. AND IT'S OUR MONEY IS WHO IT BELONGS TO. AND SO IS THAT ENTIRE BUDGET ONLINE. I MEAN, WHY, WHY DOES HE ALWAYS HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER MY TIME'S UP TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS? WHY CAN NOBODY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS LIKE, SAY.

I PARTICIPATED IN THESE MEETINGS SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER AND NEVER GOT TREATED THE WAY THAT I DO NOW. WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH. THAT PAPER THAT I SHOWED YOU. WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH, ME AND MICHAEL TROST AND SCOTT DUFORD, WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH, AND THAT'S HOW THEY AGREED AND SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND $150,000 ON A GAZEBO OUT AT HOGAN PARK BECAUSE THEY HAD A PERSON, JUST LIKE THE LADY THAT CAME UP HERE A WHILE AGO AND SPOKE. AND THEN THEY SAID, MR. SMITH, YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS? AND I SAID, I ASKED ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS.

AND SO IT OPENED THINGS UP TO DEBATE TO SEE IF THESE EXPENSES ARE RIGHT. AND LIKE, SAY, WHY CAN THINGS NOT BE OPEN? WHY CAN WE NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO WHERE Y'ALL ARE AVAILABLE EVERY THREE MONTHS FOR EIGHT HOURS OF A DAY FOR US TO COME DOWN HERE AND SIT HERE AND TALK TO YOU BECAUSE LIKE, SAY, WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE, WHEN ONE SIMPLE ACRE OF LAND VALUED AT $200,000, WHICH IS PRETTY CONSIDERABLE, HAS TEN HOMES BUILT ON IT AT AN AVERAGE MEDIAN PRICE OF $300,000, THAT RAISES THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THAT LAND 1,400%. IF THAT HAPPENS TEN TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE CITY, THAT MEANS YOU'RE BRINGING IN 14,000% MORE MONEY THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAN YOU DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE ADOPTING A CURRENT RATE AND LIKE, SAY, HOW COME HE CAN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION? IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUDGET. I MEAN, WHERE DO WE FIND. HE SAYS IT'S ONLINE, BUT PEOPLE AREN'T FINDING IT LINE BY LINE WITH EVERY SINGLE EXPENSE GOING OUT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE CUT.

I MEAN, WHY IS IT ALWAYS WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT, BUT GOVERNMENT NEVER HAS TO TIGHTEN THEIRS. WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BRING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE CAN'T EVER FIND A WAY TO CUT ANYTHING. AND YET ALL OF YOU RUN BUSINESSES AND HOMES AND YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO THE VERY THING. BUT FOR SOME REASON, IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME UP HERE AND ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME THING THAT YOU DO IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE. WHY IS THAT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION. MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER, SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN. LET'S VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ORDINANCE NUMBER 10789, PLEASE. AN

[3. 10789 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 TAX RATE (FIRST READING HELD SEPTEMBER 8, FINAL AGENDA 2026) (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

[00:20:13]

LET'S VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, ORDINANCE NUMBER 10790, PLEASE.

[4. 10790 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 TAX RATE (FIRST READING HELD SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

[5. 10791 - AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1, 2026, AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 (FIRST READING HELD SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

[6. 10794 - AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A FEE SCHEDULE; CONTAINING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING AN APPEAL PROCESS; ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1, 2026; AND ORDERING PUBLICATION (FIRST READING HELD SEPTEMBER 8, 2026) (DISTRICT: NONE) (FINANCE) (PROVIDE SOUND GOVERNANCE & FISCAL MANAGEMENT)]

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A FEE SCHEDULE CONTAINING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.

PROVIDING AN APPEAL PROCESS. ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ORDERING PUBLICATION. MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POOL. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN. LET'S VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. THIS CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.