A potential fall bond election could ask voters to approve hundreds of millions of dollars of debt. Austin officials and community members are pursuing different approaches to shape the final package.
How we got here
City Council kicked off planning for the city's next comprehensive bond—the most recent was a multipart $925 million package in 2018—two years ago. Since then, the resident-led Bond Election Advisory Task Force, or BEATF, has taken public input and deliberated what should be in the 2026 measure that's now in development.
Staff across city departments also worked to highlight nearly $4 billion in needs that could be funded through bonds last year. However, city finance officials have recommended a 2026 package of no more than $700 million due to Austin’s current debt capacity. Residents would also see rising property tax impacts; that level of new debt is projected to add more than $100 to the typical homeowner's next tax bill, with growing costs over time.
