Eagle Pass City Council Approves $56.2 Million Budget for 2025-2026
By: Victoria Martinez, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
On September 16, 2025, the City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council unanimously voted to approve a $56.2 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year during its City Council Special Meeting, reflecting a $143,000 surplus for the year. Councilman Mario E. Garcia made the motion to approve the budget and Councilman Elias Diaz seconded the motion, passing unanimously.
This marked the third and final reading for the projected budget, which needed to be formally approved by September 16, 2025, to comply with state-mandated deadlines.
After previously receiving advice from council members, Finance Director Felix Castillo presented a revised budget that increased the total operational expenses by $255,841. Even with this increase, the city’s budget is still approximately $1.8 million less than last year’s $58 million budget. With hopes to contribute to the budget surplus, Councilman Mario E. Garcia suggested removing the assistant city manager position to save additional funds and increase the surplus amount as the position has been unfilled for two years. But City Manager Homero Balderas and Councilman Elias Diaz argued to keep the unfilled Assistant City Manager position in the budget, citing the City is growing and facing many construction projects with the expansion of the Camino Real International Bridge.
The City of Eagle Pass unanimously voted to approve the “third and final reading of an ordinance for the adoption of a tax rate of $0.480052 per $100.00 of value for Tax Year 2025. The tax rate will provide revenue for the general fund and debt service. The rate includes $0.284257 per $100.00 of value for Maintenance and Operation and $0.195795 per $100.00 of value for the Interest and Sinking Fund of the Debt Service and its estimated to generate a tax levy of $11,970,240.”
Mayor Aaron Valdez noted that the approved 2025-2026 fiscal year budget approved does not have any tax increase, keeping the same ad valorem tax rate as the previous year. Valdez motioned to approve the same tax rate as last year, seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem William Davis, and approved unanimously.
