The Irving City Council greenlit a more than $320 million operating budget for the next fiscal year. It goes into effect Oct. 1.
The budget addresses first responder staffing and infrastructure improvements, among other city priorities.
The current tax rate of 58.91 cents per $100 valuation will remain the same, although that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean the amount of local taxes each resident pays will be identical to last year鈥檚. Rates for drainage, water and wastewater services will increase.
Property owners who are disabled or over 65 years old to the residential homestead tax exemption, per a June city council vote. That means for these residents, $60,000 of a property鈥檚 appraised value will be excluded from municipal property taxes in 2026 and beyond.
At their Sept. 18 regular meeting, the council approved the budget unanimously. They also voted unanimously to increase tax revenue.
City documents say the new budget will raise approximately than the previous budget. That comes from an increase in property values in the city, even though the tax rate itself doesn鈥檛 change.
Mayor Rick Stopfer said he was proud of how the vote turned out. He compared it to other cities shutting down services, laying off employees or raising taxes 鈥渏ust because they can.鈥�
鈥淲hen 70% of the people want you to build things, want you to contribute to our infrastructure and things of that nature, that's what we're here for,鈥� Stopfer told the council. 鈥淲hen people say, 鈥榙o your job,鈥� that鈥檚 our job.鈥�
The budget also includes funding for increased library security and construction on Fire Station 9, which was while crews were out on a call. Stopfer highlighted the maintenance of city facilities as an important part of the money spent.
鈥淥ur employees are just as important as anybody else's employees. They deserve a quality workplace,鈥� he said.
The city held public hearings and retreat sessions on the budget throughout the year for council members and other officials to discuss the proposal鈥檚 specifics. Members of the public weighed in during these sessions.
It鈥檚 budget season across North Texas and cities are in the process of finalizing and approving the fiscal structures that will guide them through 2026. Arlington also recently approved their $750 million operating budget. Irving is the fifth most populous city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
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