Austin’s Proposition Q: The Tax Debate That Could Define the City’s Future
The voting machines are humming to life across Austin today as early voting officially begins for one of the most consequential elections the city has faced in two decades. Proposition Q—a property tax increase that would generate $110 million annually—is now in the hands of voters, and the stark divide between those who support it and those who oppose it reveals fundamental disagreements about how Austin should fund its future.
Early voting sites.
What’s Really on the Ballot?
Austin voters will decide on the city’s steepest property tax rate hike in at least 20 years this November, with the city facing a projected $33.4 million budget shortfall. The proposition asks residents to approve an ad valorem tax rate of $0.574017 per $100 valuation, a rate that is $0.05 higher per $100 valuation than the voter approval tax rate.
Here’s the practical translation: For the average homeowner with a property valued at about $500,000, the passage of Prop Q would add about $300 to their annual city property tax bill. This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Austin was already facing a $33 million budget shortfall that city officials have attributed to sales tax and property tax revenues not bouncing back following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Election guide from Austin American-Statesman.
ACCESS YOUR PERSONAL SAMPLE BALLOT: Travis County Elections website.
Travis County Republican Party:
“We’re already taxed enough. Now is not the time for political games, as hard-working Travis County residents are saddled with rising living costs, a tight job market, and high home prices. Evictions are on the rise, families are hurting, and we’re still licking our wounds from the July Fourth floods.”
“That’s why we’re sounding the alarm on Austin Proposition Q, which is on Austin city ballots starting Oct. 20, 2025. This tax hike is in addition to the already-approved Travis County “emergency” tax increase, Central Health’s tax hike, and Austin Community College District’s increase. Several lawsuits concerning the legality of these proposed increases are pending.”
The Perfect Storm of Tax Increases
Austinites face a particularly difficult moment. Beyond the city’s Prop Q, Travis County approved a higher property tax to help pay for July flood damages and to financially prepare for future natural disaster needs, and Austin Community College and Central Health, the local public hospital district, also increased property taxes. If Prop Q is approved, the average homeowner with a home valued around $500,000 is looking at an additional $270 on their tax bill next year with all entities combined.
The silver lining? Austin ISD taxpayers, meanwhile, could see a decrease of nearly $500. Still, the cumulative burden of simultaneous tax increases from multiple entities has understandably strained public patience.
Why the Tax Increase Is Legally Necessary
Austin voters can exceed a 3.5% annual cap set by the Texas Legislature in 2019 only if a local taxing entity like the city of Austin gets voter approval through a tax rate election. This 2019 state law essentially forces this moment. The city council approved a budget that requires more revenue than what the state-imposed cap allows, so by law, they must ask voters for permission.
If Proposition Q fails, the city will reduce its property tax rate to the voter-approval tax rate, and the city estimates it will collect $109.5 million less revenue, requiring the City to revisit the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 General Fund Budget.
Team Yes: The “Care Not Cuts” Coalition
Those supporting Proposition Q span an unusually broad spectrum. The Travis County Democratic Party narrowly endorsed Prop Q, and a coalition called Care not Cuts—made up of unions and community groups—has launched a campaign to rally support.
“All across Texas, cities and towns are struggling to keep up with explosive population growth and the growing demand to fill gaps left by federal cuts and state neglect. Dallas is a warning: their latest budget lowered the tax rate, but forced spending cuts to libraries, pools, and parks. But in Austin, we believe in something different. We trust Austinites to choose care, not cuts.” — Savannah Lee with Equity Action
City Council members, local nonprofits, labor groups and businesses tied to housing development have been the largest donors in favor of Proposition Q, with Mayor Kirk Watson sending $20,000 to Love Austin last month.
The argument from supporters centers on what Austin values. Council Member Ryan Alter said the investment could yield long-term savings: “If we can get someone into housing instead of jail or an ER, we save money.”
The additional revenue would provide for funding intended to increase housing affordability and reduce homelessness; improve parks and recreation facilities and services; enhance public health services and public safety. More specifically, the largest chunk of the money is aimed at addressing affordability and homelessness, including $35.5 million for permanent supportive housing, rental assistance, case management services and new shelter beds; $11.5 million to continue operating two emergency shelters.
Even some progressive groups offering support do so with reservations. Austin Justice Coalition (AJC) issued what it called a “disgruntled yes,” calling it “necessary but not sufficient” and advocating for more accountability on measurable outcomes.
Team No: Affordability Concerns and Accountability Questions
Opposition to Prop Q is equally diverse, though unified by concerns about burdening residents already squeezed by rising costs.
The conservative PAC Save Austin Now, which successfully campaigned for the city’s public camping ban, is also urging a “no” vote, with co-chair Steven Brown saying, “If the city were serious about affordability, it wouldn’t raise property taxes.”
Small business owners express genuine anxiety. Business owner Brandon Hodge said rent used to be affordable on South Congress in the early 2000s but has since increased by tenfold, and he worries that a higher tax rate would add pressure to business owners already facing rising costs.
A legal challenge also raised questions about transparency. Shortly after City Council’s vote to set an election, former Austin mayoral candidate Jeff Bowen filed a lawsuit contesting the ballot language, arguing that the ballot language doesn’t cover the full scope of how the tax increase will affect bills even after the 2025-26 fiscal year, and that it doesn’t specify exactly how much funding the city will allocate to each project. While the Texas State Supreme Court denied the petition, Justice Evan Young’s separate opinion acknowledged concerns about the ballot language.
From Austin Monitor:
Former Austin mayoral candidate Jeff Bowen filed a lawsuit contesting the ballot language. Bill Aleshire, his attorney, argued that the ballot language doesn’t cover the full scope of how the tax increase will affect bills even after the 2025-26 fiscal year, and that it doesn’t specify exactly how much funding the city will allocate to each project. In mid-September his suit was dismissed by Texas’ Third Court of Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court, but detractors of Prop Q like Susana Almanza of PODER and Robin Rather of the Zilker Neighborhood Association have echoed its concerns.
The Stakes: Service Cuts or Tax Increases
If Proposition Q fails, the path forward becomes politically treacherous. If Prop Q fails, the City Council would determine specific reductions to balance the budget, with Council Member Mike Siegel stating that if Prop Q failed, it would not trigger across-the-board cuts to city services.
But what does targeted reduction actually mean? Reducing the minimum number of firefighters per truck from four to three would save the city about $8.3 million in overtime pay, though the firefighters union said the reduction would put people and firefighters at risk.
Notably, leadership for the Austin Police Association and Austin Fire Association said their unions would remain neutral on the initiative, even as their members’ jobs and services hang in the balance.
Anticipated Turnout: The Great Unknown
One critical variable remains unclear: how many Austin voters will actually show up? Tax rate elections historically draw smaller crowds than general elections.
Travis County elections officials estimate only about 25% of registered voters will cast a ballot this fall. (KUT 90.5)
The outcome could hinge on whether supporters’ passion for public services—homelessness services, parks, public health, and safety—can mobilize higher turnout than opposition’s concerns about affordability. In a city as politically engaged as Austin, this election could ultimately reflect whether residents view government services as a shared responsibility worth funding together, or whether fiscal conservatism and concerns about cost-of-living will prevail.
Looking Forward
Austin voters are deciding on a tax rate increase that comes at a tough time, especially on top of rising gas bills and a county tax hike to fund disaster relief for the July floods. The next fifteen days of early voting will reveal whether Austin’s citizens believe the city’s challenges—homelessness, aging parks, strained public health services—are urgent enough to accept higher property taxes.
As voters head to the polls today, they’re essentially asking themselves: Is this the Austin we want to fund?
Texans can now begin voting on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution — decisions that could reshape tax policy, education funding, infrastructure investment, and more.
Since Texas adopted its current constitution in 1876, it has been amended 530 times. Historically, three-fourths of proposed amendments have been approved by voters.
Ten of the 17 amendments focus on tax policy. (KXAN-TV)
Are you registered to vote? Check here.
In Williamson County, several local city council races, as well as proposed tax rate increases from school districts are on the ballot. (KUT 90.5)
Early voting continues through October 31. Election Day is November 4, 2025.
Austin firefighters battled and extinguished a fire that sparked up at a pizza restaurant in South Austin Sunday night.
Around the same time as the fire in South Austin last night, another incident in the area was unfolding.
The FAA issued a ground delay at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Sunday from due to airport congestion caused by the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. The program delayed all incoming flights from the contiguous U.S. by an average of 53 minutes, with a maximum delay of 103 minutes. The delay period was from 3:30 p.m. to 8:59 p.m.
While no planned delays for today have been implemented so far, it certainly remains a possibility.
An ABIA spokesperson said the airport has enough staff, but the FAA is working through an air traffic control shortage at the federal level.
For many businesses in Austn, Formula One weekend is one of the most lucrative weekends of the year.
Meanwhile, it looks like there will be many more Formula One weekends to come in Austin.
“With this contract, COTA will overtake Watkins Glen as the longest serving Formula 1 track in the United States. Thanks to the great support and a wonderful host city, the United States Grand Prix has grown to be one of the world’s biggest single weekend sporting events – with an unrivalled annual economic impact.” — Bobby Epstein, Chairman of Circuit of the Americas
Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura is responding to criticisms and concerns surrounding the district’s proposed consolidation plan, now just over a month away from a vote.
PODCAST
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The United Austin PAC has submitted over 20,000 verified signatures for a ballot measure that could delay or stop the redevelopment of the Austin Convention Center. A vote on the matter could go before Austin voters in May. (Austin Business Journal)
Austin and Travis County leaders are expected to announce the preemptive signing of disaster declarations regarding wildfire risks in the area during a meeting today.
On Friday, Travis County Judge Andy Brown signed a local disaster declaration as a preventative measure.
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
Forecasters are closely watching 98L, a tropical wave that is located just west of the Windward Islands.
The system has the potential to later become Tropical Storm Melissa.
On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott said a University of Texas at Austin professor who oversaw university-wide academic affairs was dismissed from his administrative post because of “ideological differences.”
Professor of psychology and marketing Art Markman said he was removed from his role as senior vice provost for academic affairs in September.
The governor’s actions have raised eyebrows on social media.
Gina Hinijosa announced her intention to run for governor last week. This morning, she commented on Markman’s firing.
From the Austin American-Statesman:
The quiet removal of the university leader marks yet another departure from UT due to differences in vision as new leadership aims to reshape the university. Six of 18 dean positions are held by interim or soon-to-be departing leaders, a reflection of the tremendous turnover the university has grappled with over the past two years.
Since the start of 2025, the UT System named a new chancellor, and the flagship Austin campus installed a new president and provost. All three leaders were announced as finalists without faculty input or a national search.
The Texas A&M Forest Service has approved more than $164 million in funding to fire departments in Texas.
A rainbow crosswalk in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood will be removed today, in accordance with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s threats to withhold infrastructure funding from cities with “political” murals or art on city streets. (Houston Chronicle)
12,000 homes in rural areas of Bexar County now have broadband internet access after a partnership between the county and Spectrum.
The Federal District Court in Dallas has run out of money amid the government shutdown.
As the shutdown continues, recipients of SNAP benefits are anxious.
As the government shutdown continues and early voting prepares to start, we hear from Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, D – Dallas, about the next steps in the shutdown, gambling and experience key issues among Republicans in the Texas Senate special election, and a new competitor joins the race for Governor.
(Episode from October 19, 2025)
The 2025 State Fair of Texas wrapped up its 24-day run on Sunday after welcoming an estimated 2 million visitors throughout the season. This attendance figure represents a decline of approximately 400,000 visitors compared to the previous year’s turnout. Following fair tradition, organizers are distributing hundreds of pounds of unused food to local food pantries and shelters—a practice they’ve maintained since 2015.
SPORTS
FORMULA ONE: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen raced to his third victory in four races Sunday at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, while McLaren’s Lando Norris took a huge chunk out of teammate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead by finishing second.
Piastri was a distant fifth, allowing Norris to pull within 14 points with five grand prix and two sprint races to go.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Texas Longhorns slipped one spot in the latest AP Top 25 College Football Poll after a less-than-stellar overtime win at Kentucky. The bigger news is Texas A&M has cracked the top five. Texas Tech ranks at No. 14.
TEXAS A&M
TEXAS TECH
TEXAS
Texas Football SURVIVES OT Thriller at Kentucky | LIVE | 10/20/25
NFL: A statement win for the Dallas Cowboys yesterday?
ON THE SCHEDULE
Meanwhile, the Houston Texas play tonight.
A full episode of Texas Parks & Wildlife.
A family explores South Padre Island beaches looking for fun above and below the water. Mission Tejas State Park is a natural escape into deep-rooted Texas history, located at the north end of the Davy Crockett National Forest. Once reviled, bats have enjoyed a remarkable image do-over thanks to Bat Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy.
