Bastrop officials continue to weigh options to address a projected $830,000 General Fund shortfall in the city's proposed 2026-27 budget following a controversial Aug. 6-7 workshop in Fredericksburg.
What's proposed
City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino presented the proposed budget to council July 28.
In it, she noted that with the no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.5118 per $100 valuation, the city expects about $18.85 million in General Fund revenue but about $19.68 million in expenses—leaving an $830,468 gap. The current tax rate is $0.5040.
What it means
Carrillo-Trevino presented five options for addressing the expected shortfall, including:
- Use current-year surplus funds: Apply $1 million in excess revenue, leaving a $169,532 gap and no 2% Cost of Living Adjustment for staff.
- Cut vacant positions: Remove planned Bastrop Police Department staffing, as well as a mechanic and a custodian—saving $478,137—then use surplus funds to cover the remaining $352,331 deficit.
- Increase a Street Fund transfer: Use $500,000 in excess revenue and increase the Street Fund transfer by $330,468, balancing the budget without a COLA.
- Adopt the de minimis tax rate: Set the rate at $0.5911, retain the added positions and provide employees a 2% COLA.
- Adopt an alternate $0.5436 tax rate: Pair the smaller increase with a one-time $750 employee salary adjustment and use surplus funds to cover the remaining $428,049 gap.
Concerns raised
Council members, along with Carrillo-Trevino, met in Fredericksburg Aug. 6-7 to discuss a range of topics, including the budget.
The location of the two-day workshop drew criticism from State Rep. Stan Gerdes—who represents Bastrop—for being held more than 100 miles away.
In an Aug. 7 post on X, Gerdes called the out-of-town workshop "unacceptable," and said he plans to file a bill to require council meetings be held in the city they represent.
"Public meetings should be accessible to the public," Gerdes said. "Moving them out of town undermines transparency and meaningful citizen participation."
City responds
Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris issued a statement later that evening.
In it, he noted that Fredericksburg was chosen because it has faced challenges similar to Bastrop involving growth, tourism and historic preservation.
Harris said the meetings were publicly posted, open to the public and live-streamed on the city's Facebook page.
He also acknowledged the location made in-person attendance "less convenient for [Bastrop] residents."
"I stand behind the work we accomplished during this retreat. I also hear the concern about physical access, and that is something we can consider as we plan future retreats.
One more thing
According to the 2026 Open Meetings Act Handbook issued by the Texas Attorney General's office, a governmental body is prohibited from holding a meeting at an inaccessible location, and cites previous opinions finding that entities cannot hold a meeting outside the country or state; however, it does not specifically address city- and county-level meetings.
The handbook cites prior legal guidance addressing accessibility, such as:
- Requiring photo identification for admission would not necessarily make a meeting inaccessible.
- A state university system’s Board of Regents could not meet in Mexico, even if the meeting was live-streamed
- A Texas Public Finance Authority pricing committee could not hold a meeting at an underwriter’s office outside Texas.
- Meeting rooms must be physically accessible to individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What's next?
No action was taken during the discussion-only workshop in Fredericksburg.
The city can revise the proposed budget and must hold a public hearing before adopting it.
Bastrop’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
