On August 19, 2025, the Southlake City Council received the first presentation of the proposed FY 2026 Budget during a public work session. Far from just a financial plan, the budget is designed as a blueprint for exceptional service delivery, public safety, safeguarding community assets, and investing in the future. The proposal will move forward in September for public hearings and formal adoption votes scheduled on September 2 and September 16.
Strategic by Design
City Manager Alison Ortowski, presenting the proposed budget to Council, emphasized that the City’s first priority is ensuring every dollar advances Southlake’s long-term vision.
“Southlake doesn’t build its budget year to year in isolation—every decision is grounded in the long-term vision adopted by the City Council,” said Ortowski. “This ensures that our work remains disciplined, forward-looking, and aligned with the priorities you’ve set.”
The FY 2026 budget reflects that principle by sustaining the City’s highest-value programs, building on proven practices, and preparing for the community’s future needs.
Financial Stewardship at the Core
Equally important, the budget is built on Southlake’s long-standing financial guiding principles. These principles include living within our means, tax relief, paying down debt, maintaining strong reserves, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
“This budget reflects our conservative financial philosophy,” said Sharen Jackson, Chief Financial Officer. “We are investing where it matters most, while continuing to protect Southlake’s strong financial position for the future.”
A Long-Term View
Multi-year planning has long been a hallmark of Southlake’s approach to financial management. As the City approaches full build-out, revenue growth from new development naturally slows. That makes it critical to focus on reinvestment and efficiency while maintaining a balanced budget.
Mayor McCaskill reflected on this shift, “This budget reflects an important shift in our community’s story. For many years, Southlake experienced an era of expansion. Today, we are entering an era of reinvestment—focusing our resources on strengthening the services, infrastructure, and facilities that will sustain our quality of life for the future.”
Chief Financial Officer Jackson underscored the same perspective, noting, “This long-term view helps us make disciplined choices in the present while preparing for what’s next. Our goal is to ensure that future residents benefit from the same strong financial stewardship that has defined Southlake for decades.”
What This Means for Residents
For residents, the FY 2026 budget delivers both stability and tax relief. Core services such as police patrols, fire protection, park maintenance, and street repairs remain strong and well-funded. At the same time, the budget includes a property tax rate decrease, marking the 15th tax relief initiative adopted since 2009. This continued commitment reflects the City’s long-standing focus on easing the burden for taxpayers while sustaining award-winning services.
The FY 2026 Proposed Budget sustains excellence, safeguards the future, and delivers on Southlake’s commitments. It reflects every financial guiding principle, advances the City Council’s long-term priorities, and continues the City’s tradition of disciplined stewardship. Most importantly, it ensures service excellence today while securing the foundation for tomorrow. Guided by strategy and focused on service, the FY 2026 budget reflects the values and discipline that have made Southlake strong.
Learn More
The full FY 2026 budget, along with easy-to-read summaries and infographics, is available at the City’s Budget Website. Residents can explore how funds are allocated, see a breakdown of major projects, and learn more about the City’s strategic priorities. Want to better understand how the City manages its dollars? Don’t miss our companion article, “Following the Dollars: How Fund Accounting Keeps Southlake’s Budget on Track,” which explains how Southlake uses more than 50 separate funds to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance.
