How League City is run
Who runs League City, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from League City's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Who runs League City
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- Severance of one year's salary if dismissed (2021 contract amendment)
- Contract extended in 2021 to March 2027; the council approved a contract update on Oct. 28, 2025
- The city set aside $109,027 of general fund balance for city manager severance (Sept. 30, 2025)
League City city staff
762 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 201, Emergency medical services 54, Streets and traffic 51, Library 33. FY2026-27. Full-time equivalent positions, all funds, in the FY2027 proposed budget The general fund has 590.15. City of League City · Jul 14, 2026
The budget lists positions by department. We found no city-published list of pay by position or employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is League City in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
The city's own outlook
The city's FY2027-2031 forecast assumes the no-new-revenue tax rate each year. It shows general fund spending above revenue in FY2027 only, then revenue ahead of spending through FY2031, which the city reaches by limiting cash for infrastructure reinvestment and deferring those projects. The FY2027 budget uses $1.56 million of fund balance and leaves 110.9 days of reserves. City of League City · Jun 23, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $35.9M (2025-09-30). The city's own target: Keep general fund unassigned fund balance at no less than 110 days of current-year operating spending. The city meets this target. City of League City · Mar 16, 2026
Bar: unassigned savings of $35.9M. Line: the amount the city's target calls for.
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Property taxes$41.4M · 36%
- Sales taxes$31.8M · 28%
- Charges for services$15.5M · 14%
- Transfers from other funds$9.1M · 8%
- Franchise fees$5.8M · 5%
- Licenses and permits$4.6M · 4%
- Other (fines, interest, grants, other taxes, misc.)$4.4M · 4%
- From savings (fund balance)$1.6M · 1%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police (incl. animal care)$32M · 28%
- Public works (streets, traffic, trash contract)$19.9M · 17%
- Fire, EMS, fire marshal$14.6M · 13%
- IT and facilities$8.6M · 8%
- Parks, recreation and library$8.2M · 7%
- Transfers (capital projects, reinvestment, tax increment zone)$7.3M · 6%
- Non-departmental$4.7M · 4%
- Development services (engineering, building)$4.2M · 4%
- Other (administration, finance, planning, HR, communications, project management, other)$14.6M · 13%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Of each property-tax dollar a League City homeowner in Clear Creek ISD pays, about 22 cents goes to the city, close to the city's own estimate. For FY2026-27 the city lowered its rate to $0.356505, a city tax of $1,336.89 on the median homestead ($375,000 taxable). Many homes also pay a municipal utility district tax or a public improvement district assessment, and parts of the city are in Dickinson ISD, Santa Fe ISD or Harris County.
22¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of League City
- Clear Creek ISD (schools)Operations 0.699 plus debt 0.270.969 · 59%
- Galveston County0.32266 · 19%
- City of League City (operations)0.30355 · 18%
- City of League City (debt)0.06 · 4%
- Total ($ per $100 of taxable value)1.65521
2025 tax year (FY2025-26) rates for a home in League City in Clear Creek ISD (Galveston County). Texas Comptroller · Jan 28, 2026
See what a League City home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in League City is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityLeague City Police DepartmentCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- EMS / ambulanceThe cityLeague City Fire Department EMS DivisionCity of League City · Jul 14, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of League City water systemCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- WastewaterThe cityCity of League City wastewater systemCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- Streets and drainageThe cityCity of League City Public WorksCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- Parks and poolsThe cityCity of League City Parks and Cultural ServicesCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- LibraryThe cityHelen Hall Library (city)City of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- Animal controlThe cityLeague City Animal CareCity of League City · Mar 16, 2026
- SchoolsSeparate districtClear Creek ISD, Dickinson ISD and Santa Fe ISD (independent school districts)City of League City · Mar 16, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | Wichita FallsTX | League CityTX | OdessaTX | College StationTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 101,951 | 119,905 | 122,707 | 127,472 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | Not current (2023) | $280,000 | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | $7,200 | $7,200 | Not confirmed | No salary |
| General fund per resident | $1,744 | $952 | $1,275 | $1,100 |
| Debt per resident | $967 | $2,436 | $2,224 | $3,524 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $1,022 | $194 | $992 | $318 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 12.4 | 6.4 | 9.2 | 8.3 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how).
What League City publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Audited financial report filed on timeFY2025 audited report (year ended Sept. 30, 2025) has an auditor's report dated March 16, 2026 and is posted on the city's ACFR page. City of League City
- Partly: Adopted budget posted online City of League City
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineCouncil motions in Legistar approve contract changes as discussed in closed session. We found no posted copy of the contract. City of League City
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member online City of League City
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes online City of League City
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public documentThe budget shows $62,400 a year for mayor and council fees. We found no city document stating each member's amount. City of League City
- No: Employee pay publishedThe budget lists positions by department. We found no pay list by position or employee on the financial transparency page. City of League City
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2027 budget uses $1.56 million of general fund balance and leaves reserves at 110.9 days, just above the 110-day policy. What would change if sales tax falls short of the $31.8 million budgeted?
- The council set the city manager's pay at $273,105 in December 2023 and approved later salary actions without stating the amounts. Will the council publish the current salary and the updated contract?
The fiscal year starts Oct. 1. The city manager presents the proposed budget in mid-July (July 14, 2026 this year). The public hearing and first reading were Aug. 25, and the council adopted the FY2027 budget and a $0.356505 tax rate on Sept. 8, 2026. See who is running for council
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