Bellaire city officials have proposed a property tax rate and voter-approval tax rate of $0.4268 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2026-27 following a unanimous record vote at a Sept. 21 council meeting.
The proposed rate is a 2.3% increase from the previous year’s rate of $0.4174 per $100 valuation.
In case you missed it
Bellaire Chief Financial Officer Terrence Beaman highlighted the raised property taxation value compared to fiscal year 2025-26, or tax year 2025, in addition to other proposed calculations during a council presentation Sept. 21.
This presentation granted city officials the opportunity to discuss the current and proposed tax rates before taking the initial steps in the adoption process outlined by state law, which involves:
Taking a recorded vote to place the proposal on a future meeting’s agenda as an action item
Authorizing city staff to publish a “Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Increase”
Scheduling a public hearing for citizens to express their support or opposition to the proposed tax rate
The breakdown
Beaman said that the voter-approval tax rate represents the maximum rate the city can adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval, unless the De Minimis rate exceeds it in value.
For FY 2026-27, the proposed De Minimis rate is $0.4243, so an election is not required.
Agenda documents indicate that the average residence homestead in Bellaire would see approximately $3,874 in imposed taxes under the proposed rate, which is $259 more than the amount imposed last year.
The city’s average home value would also increase by 4.80% from $866,157 in FY 2025-26 to $907,764 in the incoming tax year, per Beaman’s presentation.
The conditions
Upon concluding his remarks, Beaman recommended that Bellaire City Council vote in favor of proposing the suggested tax rate in order to proceed with the next steps and approve the larger FY 2026-27 budget.
He clarified that the recommended rate is merely a proposal that can still be fine-tuned at a later date based on further council discussion.
“This is the process and the steps that you go through,” Beaman explained to the council after receiving feedback. “[The Truth-in-Taxation process] requires you to propose your rate, record your vote and then ratify that when you adopt your budget. And then, knowing you might have a public hearing within 60 days, you will then adopt your actual rate.”
A public hearing will be held for residents at Bellaire City Hall on Oct. 5. On the same day, Bellaire officials will gather to approve and adopt the city’s proposed tax rate for FY 2026-27.
Related highlights
Bellaire City Council also unanimously approved the city’s FY 2026-27 budget at the Sept. 21 meeting.
The budget adoption agenda statement, as well as a summary of the revisions made to the budget since it was first reviewed by City Council in July, can be viewed here.
