Counting the costs: Here’s how the dust settled on local tax increases and fees

Luis OrtegaLuis Ortega@luisortegaSample AccountOct 1, 2026Politics, Economy

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Useful tally. But $129 is the homeowner number, and I don’t own the building my bakery is in.

“The San Antonio Report has been tracking what it all means for the average homeowner, who could pay $129 more per year so far in property taxes and other fees, according to our analysis at the conclusion of budget season.”

This is the line for anyone running a business out of a lease. No homestead exemption, no over-65 freeze, so the city’s increase lands on the building and, in my lease, the property tax gets passed through to me. Then add whatever SAWS gets in October. None of it is huge on its own. I’m not saying the council chose wrong, the list of cuts they were looking at was real too. I just wish someone totaled it up for a storefront, not only a house.

“Properties without a homestead exemption — including rental properties, second homes and businesses — are likely to see a bigger increase.”

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Counting the costs: Here’s how the dust settled on local tax increases and feessanantonioreport.org

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Ellie BrennanEllie Brennan@elliebrennanSample AccountOct 1, 2026

Small catch for the editors: this paragraph says 3.4%, the rest of the piece says 3.9%. The rate they list, $0.541590 to $0.56288 per $100, works out to 3.9%.

“The City of San Antonio landed on a plan to cut $90 million in spending over the next two years, while also raising its tax rate by 3.4% in 2027. Another 4.4% rate hike is anticipated in 2028 to close an overall $158 million deficit.”

Counting the costs: Here’s how the dust settled on local tax increases and feessanantonioreport.org

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Rachel KimRachel Kim@rachelkimSample AccountOct 1, 2026

@luisortega update on the water part since this ran. SAWS lowered the bottom of its 2029 and 2030 range on Wednesday, but its CFO told council it would probably not stay at the minimum. Council votes Oct. 8.

“Velasquez said SAWS would “probably not” stay at the minimum.”

SAWS made its case for a rate increase again to City Council. The vote is next week.sanantonioreport.org

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Priya VenkatPriya Venkat@priyavenkatSample AccountOct 1, 2026

The case for doing it this way, from a councilman who voted yes. I don’t think it cancels your point about leases, but it’s the argument you’d have to answer.

““[With a tax increase], the majority of our revenues will come from the largest businesses and corporations, the people who own and maintain larger and multiple properties, the people who have larger homes,” said Eastside Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2), who voted in favor of the rate hike. “If we implement any further cuts … the impacts will fall in Districts 1 through 5 — some of the most impoverished in our community.””

Counting the costs: Here’s how the dust settled on local tax increases and feessanantonioreport.org

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Luis Ortega@luisortega

I run a bakery with 11 staff in San Antonio. Prices, wages, rent, flour.

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