Austin City Council 2026 Ballot Propositions
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Proposition B
Proposition B
Against
Against
Library Bonds
Library Bonds
FINANCIAL NOTE
FINANCIAL NOTE
Bonds are loans that governments, like the City of Austin, repay over time with tax dollars. Approving bond debt means taxpayers are committing to principal and interest for years.
Without authorizing new bonds, Austin currently owes $2,378,150,000 in principal and $963,306,343 in estimated interest on all outstanding debt obligations.
Proposition B — Library Bonds
Proposition B — Library Bonds
THIS IS A TAX INCREASE to issue $35 Million in bonds for libraries.
How much this debt will cost taxpayers: $61,026,500
principal $35,000,000 + estimated interest $26,026,500
BALLOT LANGUAGE
BALLOT LANGUAGE
Should the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas be authorized to issue and sell one or more series of general obligation bonds of the City in the aggregate principal amount of not more than $35,000,000 for the purpose of designing, acquiring, constructing, expanding, renovating, rehabilitating, replacing, improving, upgrading, enhancing, and equipping library facilities, with priority given to the existing Hampton at Oak Hill branch library and a new Colony Park branch library, with the bonds to mature, bear interest, and be issued and sold as permitted by law, and will the City Council be authorized to levy and pledge, and cause to be assessed and collected, annual ad valorem taxes on all taxable property in the City sufficient, within the limits provided by law, to pay the annual interest and provide a sinking fund to pay the bonds at maturity?
WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT
WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT
This bond will dedicate funds to building and improving libraries, with priority given to:
Improvements at existing Hampton at Oak Hill Branch (District 8)
A new library at Colony Park (District 1)
VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE
VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE
This $35 Million bond will cost taxpayers approximates $61 Million after interest.
The City currently owes $2.38 Billion in principal on it's outstanding debt obligations. With interest, that totals $3.34 Billion in debt obligations.
The City Council violated its own bond decision tree framework in placing this bond package on the ballot. Financial staff recommended waiting until 2028 when previous bonds reach 90% completion, but the council ignored that advice to call this election anyway.
The city has cancelled 61 bond approved projects due to cost overruns and feasibility problems. The responsible vote is to hold the city accountable to its own discipline and let it finish what it promised before asking for another $260 million.
The city has proven it will fund critical projects through certificates of obligation if this bond fails. These projects will appear as individual items on City Council agendas which will ensure greater transparency and specificity.
Sources:
Further Reading:
- City Ordinance No 20260806-002 contains City bond details and can be downloaded from the August 6, 2026, meeting agenda: https://www.austintexas.gov/council/2026/20260806-reg#002
- Austin City Council, 20260806-002, Agenda Backup: Exhibit C “Voter Information Document” https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=478422
- Austin Bond Dashboard https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/e2136cd2f9bb449293a5487765fdaa19
- City Resolution No 20260226-055 contains the City's bond decision-tree framework and can be downloaded from the February 26, 2026, meeting agenda: https://www.austintexas.gov/council/2026/20260226-reg#055
- Austin City Council amended the budget on August 12, 2026, to fund projects that had been cut from the bond election https://www.austintexas.gov/council/2026/20260812-reg#007
Further Reading:
- The Austin Independent, Council Presents Voters With Difficult Choice on Bonds for Parks and Libraries – Plus a Lesson on how to Comply with Financial Policies, Daryl Slusher, October 12, 2026 https://theaustinindependent.org/council-presents-voters-with-difficult-choice-on-bonds-for-parks-and-libraries-plus-a-lesson-on-how-to-comply-with-financial-policies/
- Austin Current, Austin approved $566M without voter say, including projects cut from this November’s bond package, Andrea Ball, October 14, 2026 https://austincurrent.org/2026/10/14/austin-bondelection-austinbudget-council-government/
- CBS Austin, New Austin dashboard lets residents track bond spending and projects, Emilee Miranda, October 8, 2026 https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/new-austin-dashboard-lets-residents-track-bond-spending-and-projects
- Austin Parks Foundation, City of Austin General Obligation Bond Election 2026, January 9, 2026 https://austinparks.org/blog/general-bond-election-2026/
- Austin Current, Months after voters rejected Prop Q, Austin prepares bond that would raise taxes, Sam Stark, January 26, 2026 https://austincurrent.org/2026/01/26/austin-bond-proposal-2026/
- Texas Scorecard, Austin Mayor Releases ‘Decision Tree’ to Guide Potential 2026 Bond, Adam Cahn, January 12, 2026 https://texasscorecard.com/local/austin-mayor-releases-decision-tree-to-guide-potential-2026-bond/
- Proposed 2026 Go Bond Program https://austin.widen.net/s/mvrnr78khn/2026-bond-election-guide-eng
- Austin Capital Delivery Services, 2026 Bond Development https://www.austintexas.gov/capital-delivery/2026-bond-development
- Speak Up Austin, Shape Austin's 2026 Bond https://www.speakupaustin.org/bond2026
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