Liberty Township Voters to Consider 2.5-Mill Police Levy

Measure aims to address staffing shortages and lost revenue from speed camera ban

Apr. 5, 2026 at 2:06am

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Voters in Liberty Township, Texas will decide on a 2.5-mill additional police levy in the May election. The levy is the first the department has asked for since 2004 and is meant to make up for lost revenue from a ban on speed cameras. The department is currently understaffed by 10 officers below the recommended level, which has made it difficult to investigate non-priority crimes. If passed, the levy would generate over $823,000 annually to help restore staffing and plan for new police vehicles.

Why it matters

The police levy vote reflects the ongoing challenges Liberty Township faces in maintaining adequate public safety resources. The loss of speed camera revenue has put a strain on the police department's budget, leading to staffing shortages that impact the community's quality of life. The outcome of the levy will determine whether the township can invest in proactive policing or will be limited to a more reactive approach.

The details

Liberty Township Police Chief Ray Buhala says the department currently has 17 officers, 10 less than the recommended staffing level and 4 fewer than the department says it needs. While priority calls have not been affected, the lack of officers has made it difficult to investigate other crimes like speeding, littering, and nuisance offenses. The 2.5-mill levy would generate over $823,000 per year, costing homeowners $88 annually per $100,000 of property value. Buhala says the first priority would be restoring staffing levels, and there would also be enough in the budget to start planning for new police vehicles every other year.

  • The 2.5-mill police levy will be on the ballot for Liberty Township voters on May 5th, 2026.
  • Liberty Township has not asked for a police levy since 2004.

The players

Ray Buhala

Liberty Township Police Chief who says the department is understaffed and needs the additional revenue from the proposed levy.

Liberty Township

A community in Texas that will vote on a 2.5-mill police levy in the May 2026 election.

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What they’re saying

“Almost daily I get phone calls of the speeding in the residential areas, the trash on the roads, the nuisance crimes. You know, we just don't have the manpower to, you know, really give an effort that our community deserves.”

— Ray Buhala, Liberty Township Police Chief

“We would start running a deficit starting in 2027 that deficit would grow with the current staffing that we have. So through attrition, we would lose even more officers.”

— Ray Buhala, Liberty Township Police Chief

“Do you want a proactive department who's able to investigate your crimes and put the people responsible in jail and stop crime from occurring by being visible and having those cars out? Or do you want a simply reactive police department that might come out and take your report when they're available.”

— Ray Buhala, Liberty Township Police Chief

What’s next

Voters in Liberty Township will decide the fate of the 2.5-mill police levy on May 5th, 2026.

The takeaway

The police levy vote in Liberty Township reflects the difficult tradeoffs communities face in maintaining public safety resources. With the loss of speed camera revenue, the police department has struggled with staffing shortages that impact their ability to proactively address quality of life issues. The outcome of the levy will determine whether Liberty Township can invest in a more robust police force or will be limited to a reactive approach.