Corpus Christi council adopts property tax rate 0.5% above no-new-revenue rate

Overview

Updated Aug 30

Corpus Christi set a city property tax rate of $0.599774 per $100 of assessed value for the fiscal year that starts in October. The City Council held a public hearing and passed the ordinance on first reading Sept. 1, then passed it on second reading Sept. 8.

The rate is 0.5% above the no-new-revenue rate, which is the rate needed to collect the same property tax dollars as the current year. Texas' truth-in-taxation law requires a public hearing and a 60% favorable vote when a rate exceeds that figure. On Sept. 8 the first motion to adopt failed 4-4, with Mayor Guajardo abstaining; the council voted to reconsider, and the ordinance then passed, according to the city's Legistar record.

Why it matters

The Sept. 8 vote decides whether Corpus Christi property owners pay more in city taxes next year—and by how much.

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Key Indicators

$0.599774 per $100

City property tax rate, fiscal 2027

The rate the council adopted on Sept. 8.

0.5%

Increase over no-new-revenue rate

The adopted rate is half a percent above the rate that would keep property tax revenue flat.

60%

Favorable votes required

The council needs 60% approval because the rate exceeds the no-new-revenue rate.

Sept. 8, 2026

Final adoption

The council passed the tax rate ordinance on second reading.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Paulette Guajardo

Mayor of Corpus Christi

Presiding over tax rate hearings

Peter Zanoni

City Manager, Corpus Christi

Presented budget tied to proposed tax rate

Organizations Involved

Corpus Christi City Council

Municipal legislative body

Deciding on fiscal 2027 tax rate and budget

The governing body that sets Corpus Christi's property tax rate and adopts the annual budget.

City of Corpus Christi

Municipal government

Proposing fiscal 2027 budget and tax rate

Municipal government responsible for Corpus Christi's budget, services, and property tax collection.

Timeline

August 2026 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 8th, 2026 · 2 months ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Council adopts tax rate on second reading
Latest Scheduled Vote

A first motion to adopt the $0.599774 rate failed 4-4 with the mayor abstaining. The council voted to reconsider and then passed the ordinance on second reading.
September 8th, 2026
Public hearing; tax ordinance passes first reading
Scheduled Hearing

Council hears residents on the proposed $0.599774 rate and takes first formal vote.
September 1st, 2026
August 2026
Agenda published for Sept. 1 tax rate hearing
Notice

City agenda lists a public hearing and first reading of the tax rate ordinance for Tuesday, Sept. 1.
August 30th, 2026
Council sets maximum proposed tax rate
Policy

Corpus Christi City Council sets $0.599774 per $100 valuation as the ceiling for fiscal 2027 and schedules September hearings.
August 11th, 2026

Scenarios

Council adopts $0.599774 tax rate on Sept. 8

Deadline passed (Sep 8, 2026)

Discussed by: City staff's proposed budget and the published agenda assume this rate.

After Tuesday's hearing, the council takes the first reading of the ordinance. If it passes and survives the final vote Sept. 8 with at least 60% approval, the rate is locked for fiscal 2027. Property owners then see bills based on the $0.599774 rate in October.

Council lowers rate before final adoption

Deadline passed (Sep 8, 2026)

Discussed by: No named officials have proposed this; it would require a council member to offer an amendment.

Residents or council members argue the 0.5% increase is too much. The council could amend the ordinance between readings to a lower rate, which would generate less revenue and require matching budget cuts. The final rate would be below $0.599774.

Council fails to adopt a rate by Sept. 8

Deadline passed (Sep 8, 2026)

Discussed by: No one is predicting this; it is a procedural fallback.

If the ordinance fails to get 60% support at either reading, the council would need to call another meeting and adopt a rate after the scheduled date. That would delay tax bills and force a revised budget. This is the least likely path given the rate is close to no-new-revenue.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

January 2020

Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act (2019)

Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2 in 2019, requiring local governments to calculate a no-new-revenue rate and hold public hearings before adopting property tax rates above it. The first budget year under the law was fiscal year 2020-21.

Then

Cities changed budget calendars to include record votes and hearings.

Now

Taxpayers now get clearer notices and a public chance to object before rates rise.

Why this matters now

This hearing is a direct product of the law. The no-new-revenue rate and the required hearings come from it.

August-September 2025

Corpus Christi's 2025-26 property tax rate cycle

The council advanced the same $0.599774 rate for fiscal 2025-26, a 0.23% increase over that year's no-new-revenue rate of $0.598423. Residents spoke against the burden on homeowners, and city officials noted $13 million in budget cuts over two years.

Then

The proposal moved to a final vote scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025.

Now

The same rate now serves as a point of comparison for this year's proposal.

Why this matters now

This year's proposal repeats the same rate, but the gap over no-new-revenue is 0.5%, slightly larger than last year's 0.23%.