The Galveston City Council ratified the citys adopted property tax rate for the 2025 tax year on Oct. 3, approving a rate described by staff as the "no new revenue" rate under state law.

Finance Director Sheila Ladonya told the council that state law requires the ratification after the council ran out of time to adopt a rate earlier in the process. "As council knows, the clock ran out on making a decision on the tax rate and by state law, chapter 26 of the Texas tax code, it requires the city to ratify the adopted tax rate, which which is a no new revenue rate in our case because it's the lower of the 2 rates in consideration under that section," Ladonya said.

The ordinance ratifies an adopted ad valorem tax levy described in the agenda as "40¢ and 8.687 mills upon each $100 of property evaluation for the tax year 2025." Councilmembers voted electronically; the mayor announced the measure was "unanimously approved," with Councilmember Finkley absent. The council's roll call earlier in the meeting recorded Mayor Brown, Mayor Pro Tem Raub, Councilmembers Lewis, Brown, Perreto and Rollins as present.

The council did not add additional discussion or changes to the adopted rate during the meeting. City staff did not provide a line-item breakdown of how the ratified rate affects specific budget categories during the discussion, and no public comments on the item were made at the meeting.

Under Chapter 26 of the Texas Tax Code, municipalities sometimes adopt a "no new revenue" rate when the chosen rate is the lower statutory option; Ladonya framed the council's action as compliance with that requirement. The ordinance approved at the meeting provides for related findings and provisions and becomes effective as provided in the text of the ordinance.

The meeting record shows the vote passed unanimously among those present; Councilmember Finkley was recorded as absent.