For the 2026-2027 budget year, Corpus Christi is expected to keep its property tax rate at the current level rather than increase it.
That does not mean homeowners will automatically see the same tax bill. If a property's appraised value went up, the amount owed could rise as well.
What's happening?
On Aug. 11, the Corpus Christi City Council voted not to set a property tax rate higher than the existing level of about 59.9 cents per $100 of valuation, according to the Caller-Times.
However, a flat tax rate can still produce higher bills for residents when home values increase.
According to the Caller-Times' summary of a council presentation, the city's no-new-revenue rate would be about 59.6 cents per $100 of valuation. That is the rate that would generate roughly the same amount of property tax revenue the city collected.
Because the council approved 59.9 cents as the maximum under its resolution, city leaders still have the option to adopt a lower final rate later. That current rate is also being used as the basis for a proposed budget that remains under discussion.
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Sept. 1 is scheduled for the public hearing and the first vote on the tax rate. The rate must receive two votes before becoming final, and that decision will happen alongside approval of the city's 2026-2027 budget.
Why does it matter?
A tax rate is not the same as a tax bill.
Even if the city does not raise the rate, homeowners can still owe more when their appraised values go up.
Many households are already dealing with rising housing, insurance, utility, and grocery costs.
A tax increase tied to valuation growth can be especially difficult for people living on fixed incomes or for homeowners whose wages have not kept pace with the assessed value of their property.
Property tax revenue helps fund city services, and the final rate will affect how much money Corpus Christi has available as officials set priorities in the 2026-2027 budget.
What's being done?
City leaders have left themselves room to lower the rate before final approval.
By setting 59.9 cents as the ceiling, the council cannot go higher without taking another step, but it can still move lower.
Residents will have another opportunity to weigh in at the Sept. 1 public hearing, when the council is expected to discuss the rate and budget in greater detail.
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