Budgeting is an essential element of the financial planning, control, and evaluation process of municipal government. The operating budget is the city's annual financial operating plan. The budget includes:
Budget Summary: This section provides a general overview of the proposed budget and identifies key changes from the prior year. To view past Annual Budget Reports, visit our Financial Transparency page.
Vision Statements: The vision statements section of the budget provides a view of the various services provided by the city and is organized around the four city council vision statements and the Strategic Plan
Financial Section: This section provides a more traditional "fund accounting" view of the city's budget. Fund summaries and department summaries are provided.
Appendices: The fourth major section of the budget is the appendices, which contains supplemental information to meet specific City Charter requirements and to help the reader better understand the community.
The proposed budget is prepared and presented to the city council 30-90 days before the end of the fiscal year, which is Sept. 30. The city council then reviews and revises the budget and receives citizen input through a public hearing on the proposed budget.
The budget process shall span sufficient time to address policy and fiscal issues by the council.
The council will adopt by ordinance such budget as it may have been amended as the city's annual budget, effective for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
Budget
The City of College Station is dedicated to financial transparency with easy access to important financial documents, policies, and data. On this page, you will find budget reports, financial statements, annual audits, and more. Our goal is to help you stay informed about how public funds are managed and spent, promoting trust and accountability in our community.
Proposed FY 26 Budget
Resident feedback is an important part of the budget development process. Engage with us and let us know what budget priorities are important to residents.
Prioritize: Citizen Survey: Service Level Adjustments (SLAs) This is your chance to comment and rank various important Service Level Adjustments (SLAs) being requested in our city. SLAs stand for Service Level Adjustments, which city departments request when they need additional funding to carry out the various services they provide for you.
Blogs, Presentations, & Media Coverage
Videos
- FY 26 Proposed Budget [YouTube]
- July 7 Special Budget Meeting [YouTube]
Blogs
- City's proposed FY 26 budget prioritizes public safety, infrastructure, and long-term growth [WordPress, July 7]
- Offer valuable feedback on the City’s FY 26 budget priorities with our interactive online tool [WordPress, June 18]
Presentations
Meetings
- July 7 Special Budget Meeting [YouTube]
- July 10 Outside Agency Discussion [Webpage]
- July 16 Budget Workshop [Webpage]
- July 24 Budget Public Hearing [Webpage]
- Aug. 28 Tax Rate Public Hearing/Budget Adoption [Webpage]
Media
The City of College Station received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. To receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as an operations guide, as a financial plan and as a communications device.
Questions or Comments
If you have any questions or comments regarding the budget, email budget@cstx.gov.