Amarillo College Regents Adopt 2026 Property Tax Rate

The Amarillo College Board of Regents on Tuesday adopted a 2026 property tax rate of $0.24670 per $100 of taxable property value, which consists of $0.17840 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.06830 for Interest and Sinking, or debt service.

For the average single-family residence in the Amarillo College taxing district, the annual college property tax bill will increase by $45.06 for the year.

Despite the higher tax rate, Amarillo College expects to receive approximately $1 million less in property tax revenue, for a total of approximately $35 million. Total property values in the College's taxing district increased by approximately $50 million, but increased property tax ceilings for homeowners resulted in a net decrease of approximately $149 million in taxable property value.

The tax rate was adopted as the College also navigates a significant reduction in state funding. Amarillo College expects to receive approximately $17.3 million in state formula funding, down about $2.3 million from the previous year's $19.6 million. While the College has excelled in meeting performance metrics, the reduction is the result of a change in how incentives for community college performance funding are calculated.

The Board also approved a $90 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27. Property taxes account for approximately 39% of the College's annual budget, with other major sources of revenue including state appropriations and student tuition and fees.

In response to the state funding reduction, AC President Dr. Jamelle Conner worked with leadership to keep the 2026-27 budget flat while including adequate funding to accommodate enrollment growth and continued support of community-serving programs like the Badger Bound Scholarship Program. At the same time, the College has budgeted to increase its fund balance by approximately $5 million, rebuilding reserves and strengthening the College's financial position.

“We are being thoughtful about how we manage our resources in a year when we are receiving less funding,” Conner said. “This budget allows us to continue a high level of service for our students, plan for enrollment growth and continue rebuilding our reserves.”