Austin city manager presents proposed $6.6 billion budget for Council review

Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax presented a proposed $6.6 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2026–27 on July 16, beginning the City Council review of the city’s next spending plan.

The budget has not been adopted. Public discussion and Council adoption decisions are expected during Austin’s August 2026 budget cycle.

The City of Austin characterized the proposal as focused on fiscal sustainability while maintaining high-priority community needs. The plan is Austin’s central near-term financial and policy decision because the budget directs resources for city operations, essential services, public safety, social programs and infrastructure.

Public-safety funding is a key part of the proposal

City budget materials identify increased or continuing attention to public safety, including police, fire and emergency medical services.

Local budget coverage by the Austin Chronicle described a proposed $24 million increase for the Austin Police Department, bringing the department’s proposed total to about $550 million. Those figures describe the proposal, not enacted appropriations.

The Chronicle also reported proposed funding of more than $288 million for Austin Fire and about $157 million for Austin-Travis County EMS. The city’s announcement did not provide a full department-by-department budget table, and the reported department figures should not be treated as official final funding levels.

That distinction is important as Council considers the overall plan. The $6.6 billion total and the public-safety figures are the starting point for the budget process, rather than final decisions on department funding, services or taxes.

What Council review will decide

The proposed budget now moves through the City Council process, which is taking place in the August fiscal-year cycle. Council can review the city manager’s proposal before deciding on an adopted budget.

For Austin residents, city departments and service users, the review will determine how the city allocates its resources for the coming fiscal year. The proposal covers the municipal government’s operations and priorities, but its specific funding choices remain subject to Council action.

The city has framed the plan around balancing fiscal sustainability with high-priority needs. Whether the Council adopts the proposal as presented or makes changes will be decided through the August process. Until then, the proposal and the department-level amounts reported in local coverage remain preliminary rather than final appropriations.