Lubbock Budget Battle Heats Up | Texas News

Texas News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 8, 2026 · 1m

Lubbock’s city council is locked in a tense budget battle over property taxes and employee raises, with the city manager pushing for a 3% COLA for most workers — a move critics say may fall short of inflation. While property values rose, exemptions are eating into revenue gains, making tax hikes more complicated. Police and firefighter pay and schedules are also on the table, sparking heated debate. The proposed budget is just a starting point — council has until October 1 to finalize everything, leaving residents watching closely as the city tries to balance needs with what taxpayers can…