[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6150833,"mediaKeyId","5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8","parentId",5506008,"title","Resident criticizes budget transparency and one-time spending increases for memorials, SROs and parks","audioSeconds",257,"startMs",3571000,"endMs",3828000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8&start=3571&end=3828","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8/thumbnail_3571000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6150833/Texas/Resident-criticizes-budget-transparency-and-one-time-spending-increases-for-memorials-SROs-and-parks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6150833-78cdfa8f9ffe865b45fdf18c046f8c9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068920&Signature=PwR6Hd14~XKt-yPp66UX075SGpHnswDiPXvYwDzKx4V6WUUsUw~QNIGeRGhN85yDGnJoReKsUxIt5lII35n64zdRFYvGcL7YtxzcxVmsxoeHpGQMlgU7gTupazrj4MePnd6B9dZpAVR4AgKCkw-le1MdsO-okuyAjdteQXi7zjdwMqlUoW7l-1SxrcRIWolSf5eiug7i3wPwkqSI-DaUysVul5gw7K-Zm4l2TMOIFbSg0fmh9v44Ekm5dVnhPRkmz8SBem5WwcTQHxhS3p4ZPysiJZWw6e6jgHj8qjwPhqbXJ5qz66u-kGEPDzuRBY~foESwWS9aASo~ZUErwsmklA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Coppell TX","date","2025-07-29T16:05:25Z","article","During the second public-comment period at the council workshop, resident Dave Schump urged greater transparency and citizen oversight of one-time spending that he said followed a pattern of using reserves after adopting a budget that relies on near-maximum property-tax revenue growth.

Schump listed several projects as examples: the Veterans Memorial, which he said grew from an initial budget of $350,000 to about $2 million after work-session approvals; the city's agreement to fund school resource officers (SROs) fully for the school district in recent years after initially budgeting to fund only half the program; a roughly $100,000 pedestrian railing on North End Tap Road that he said cost about $320 per linear foot; and an inclusive playground contract with Playwell Group that he said rose from an initial $343,000 bid to a $566,000 contract following later changes. \"The city seems to budget with a mindset of maximizing revenue first and then allocating for actual basic needs and discretionary reserve funds,\" Schump said.

Kim, the budget presenter, and council members did not adopt spending changes during the meeting. Kim described how staff uses assigned fund balance for Vision 2040 initiatives and said some one-time allocations (about $2.2 million) were identified for specific projects in the proposed FY2026 budget; she said broader fund-balance allocations remain available until council identifies projects. Kim noted the staff will continue to provide details on fund-balance uses and project lists as part of ongoing budget work.

A second resident during the same public-comment period, John Buckwald, asked about a 51% proposed increase in ENCORES (street-light) rates mentioned earlier in the budget presentation and asked what, if anything, federal officials could do to help close the Austin Gap discussed in the workshop. Staff earlier explained the traffic division's budget increased $189,000 to cover the proposed ENCORES increase and that updated vendor rates received in July reduced some previously projected increases.

Schump's remarks were recorded as public comment; no council action was taken on the items he cited at the workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - 07/28/25 - Budget Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","A resident told council the city appears to budget at a revenue cap while using reserves for discretionary projects with limited public discussion; examples cited included the veterans memorial, SRO funding, sidewalk railing and an inclusive playground bid increase.","taxTitle","Coppell, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",55075,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6150835,"Residents urge more equitable trash, water and stormwater charges; call for clarity on small fees",173,36000,209000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8&start=36&end=209","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8/thumbnail_36000.jpg","/articles/6150835/Texas/Residents-urge-more-equitable-trash-water-and-stormwater-charges-call-for-clarity-on-small-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6150835-ab2007c70f5b5cb7e1a6ae8c498d109f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068919&Signature=PHjyeVB2bKJXpSLpEYPubPeQyBmNbzCHqXSj24opeJTwo~c0B8E6upelf7V35Iq5LtnW350-iUtdLobHjMNNaDvWC8QJhnvjYcyEDrR-YCvbqj0F9tD6OwC6~Xx0Xq8T-hndwDVjhJEaK69IuLuHVt9ujNmMvLnuiuurSY0czHl24qbYeuiGbuPpV96P66skUPrnNLWTU4LKz4T285ezXloRrW1ZuZSE-bXuRx5inGz34r7AwrPt35QTC6E4ZuGBAIr-Iv~dK5pSpK9w5IErnCWUYV-4Lbecdb79wo-s25qLXlcBsRuE~b30pwjgdED~GjYqyEbDW4NnZPohV1wF9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two residents who spoke during the council's citizen appearance urged changes to how the city structures utility and service fees, saying current rate and fee designs disproportionately affect seniors and small households.

\"Most, if not all, senior households only put out 1 trash can per week and fill recycle bins less than once every 2 weeks,\" said Dave Shaw, a resident at 215 West Wing Drive, who argued that a 10% senior discount on refuse service is insufficient and recommended at least a 25% discount. Shaw said Coppell currently receives two trash pickups per week and one recycling pickup but that many seniors cannot use that full schedule. \"They should not be made to subsidize larger households and or extra services not required by them,\" he said.

Shaw also criticized the city's current potable-water allowance and tiering. He said households using about 5,000 gallons per month effectively pay roughly $7.44 per thousand gallons while larger users paying $4.31 per thousand gallons under current structure. He proposed increasing the basic allowance from 1,000 gallons to 2,000 gallons and reducing the base charge, while raising higher-tier prices so revenue is borne more by larger users. \"A change to increase the basic allowance from 1,000 gallons base to the more typical in most cities, allow 2,000 gallons base...and reducing the basic charge some more would further mitigate the concern,\" Shaw said.

On stormwater charges, Shaw called the fee \"an inherently flawed concept\" because it levies the same charge on every property regardless of actual contribution to runoff; he proposed basing drainage-maintenance charges on land area or property value. He also asked about a monthly 10¢ public-education fee and questioned why the city charges fees for non-cash payment options: \"If the city is going to continue to deny citizens use of cash...they should not charge fees to use any other normally acceptable form of payment.\" Jeff Ornell, a second speaker, offered brief support for Shaw's points.

Council members did not take action during citizen appearance; the council's workshop later discussed the budget and fee projections but did not adopt new utility policies during the meeting.","Two residents urged the council to adjust utility billing structures to reduce cross-subsidies affecting seniors and small households, questioned the stormwater fee methodology and asked for clearer payment-fee policies.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6150840,"Coppell staff presents balanced FY2026 budget, proposes slight tax-rate cut amid 6.6% valuation growth",3134,388000,3522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8&start=388&end=3522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5506008-eafd807af786b30d9ec3123474df9ec8/thumbnail_388000.jpg","/articles/6150840/Texas/Coppell-staff-presents-balanced-FY2026-budget-proposes-slight-tax-rate-cut-amid-66-valuation-growth","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6150840-3938d54c02eebc2419eaa3627551c3b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068919&Signature=QArnYZLgMU0z~l6wYHo6eHVnLrIbSaC54IUZvXE0HpMdtu81Im-sArMrqWE8iqFlP127LO6vXm8fau8zXB~HBLwHFi~7XSSzARIHkmvYs1s0VRmmAFuhxy6xJL5BpaKVkw9hQypnlx57m887QhoywZq93Lc88tnN0jqqNzHwpVsTXIMmD5cialtBVzznG2-fQstyXnEoq-9Yev3JLBp7cTmZuDqb~wWF3S4KPTdK6aZBI4wMztgh0bZvyZX4d2hYISTO3y7c4OYMwFRoYDnDxSL3hByhLZLa69XWfIbt5eJzJMyuC~uBgq-WUT6cDU9bOmBWPL-hO5wTXur5rI5hzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff on Monday presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the Coppell City Council and outlined how certified 2025 property values, staff reductions and one-time fund-balance uses shape the plan. The presentation, led by Kim, the city budget presenter, included a proposed tax rate of 0.444976 and an updated estimate that the average home receiving a homestead exemption would see the city's portion of its bill rise about $119 for the year.

The presentation matters because certified taxable values rose about 6.61% for tax year 2025, increasing the tax base to roughly $12.5 billion, and staff projected the plan must balance lower allowable property-tax revenue growth with rising costs. \"The proposed tax rate is the 0.444976,\" Kim said, adding the rate is roughly 1.4 pennies less than the current 0.458632. She also said the proposed maintenance-and-operations revenue is about $47 million, roughly a 3.4% increase in property tax revenue compared with the current year.

Kim told the council the proposed budget is balanced in the technical sense — revenues plus proposed use of fund balance equal or exceed expenditures — and that it assumes constrained property-tax revenue growth under state law commonly referred to in the presentation as SB2. \"Yes. I'm referring to what was referred to when legislation passed as SB2,\" Kim said, explaining the cap limits property-tax revenue growth to 3.499% and creates an \"Austin Gap\" between projected expenditures and allowable revenue. To narrow that gap, the proposed budget reduces staff through vacancy management and position eliminations and uses assigned fund balance for some one-time projects.

Staff detailed specific fund changes: a $5.5 million transfer from the general fund to the municipal utility drainage district (a direction previously given by council), removal of a $250,000 transfer from the Rolling Oaks Memorial Cemetery fund at council direction, and adjustments in special revenue funds such as the Coppell Recreational Development Corporation (CRDC) and the Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD). Kim said three positions were moved to the water-sewer fund and seven positions were eliminated from the general fund; combined with CRDC changes the net citywide employee-count reduction was about 7.5 full-time equivalents.

Water and sewer budget lines changed after staff received updated rates from Dallas Water Utilities and the River Authority. Kim said the updated volume rate for water rose 12.3% (from about $0.57 per thousand gallons to $0.64), while contractual demand charges for water decreased slightly. Overall, she said, updated rates reduced the water-and-sewer expense projection by nearly $1.3 million compared with the June presentation. \"The total change for the proposed budget presented on January 23 to what's in your packet tonight is a decrease of almost $1,300,000 in the expenses of the water sewer fund,\" Kim said.

Council members pressed staff for clarifications. When asked about inflation assumptions, Kim said staff used 5% for salary and benefits and 3–4% for other supplies, maintenance and services. Councilmember Mike asked for a time horizon for the staffing and reorganization approach; staff said the goal is to begin reductions now so the city can align expenditures with projected revenues within about five years. Councilmember Jim asked for details about the \"Vision 2040\" initiatives and the funding; Kim said $2.2 million of assigned fund balance was identified for Vision 2040 projects and the broader work-plan allocation currently shows $9.6 million budgeted after that adjustment.

Kim also showed a breakdown of the typical homeowner's tax receipt: public safety accounted for about $943 annually (~43% of the local portion), public works about $310 (~14%), community experiences (recreation, library, senior center, tennis) about $386 (~18%), and general government roughly $450 (~21%). She noted that an average homeowner's combined city services and bond payments translate to about $215 per month. Kim added that a senior homestead combined exemption example would yield about $445 less annual tax than a homestead-only bill.

The council and staff discussed process and next steps: staff will file the finalized budget document with the city secretary on August 5; on August 12 council is expected to adopt a maximum tax rate to satisfy state posting requirements and a recorded vote; public hearings on the tax rate and budget will be held August 26; and subsequent council votes finalize the budget and tax rate in August. Kim cautioned that the official tax-rate calculation from Dallas County had not yet been received and that the presented rates were staff calculations that historically agree with the county's calculation.

The workshop included questions from members of the public on specific line items. A resident asked about a 51% proposed increase in ENCORES street-light rates mentioned in the presentation; councilmembers and staff discussed that the traffic division budget increased $189,000 to reflect that proposed charge. Kim said staff reduced some budgeted expenditures after receiving updated vendor rates and clarified that the reduction in the June-to-July budget presentation reflected better-than-expected external rates, not a fall in the city's underlying costs.

No formal council votes were recorded during the workshop. Staff emphasized the difference between operating expenditures and one-time uses of fund balance, and said the proposed general fund operating expenditure budget increased about 2.38% over the 2025 operating expenditures (excluding one-time transfers). Kim closed by thanking council and staff for work on early steps to reduce the Austin Gap and noted staff will bring any necessary fee or rate recommendations to council later in the year if the fiscal-year-end results require it.

The council's next formal steps on the budget and tax rate were scheduled for August, and staff said available receipt handouts summarizing the tax-bill breakdown were available to attendees after the meeting.","City staff presented a proposed fiscal 2026 budget that relies on constrained property tax revenue growth, one-time fund-balance uses and continued FTE reductions; staff proposed a tax rate of 0.444976 and estimated the average homesteaded homeowner would pay about $119 more annually.","actionData","errors"]

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Resident criticizes budget transparency and one-time spending increases for memorials, SROs and parks

Residents urge more equitable trash, water and stormwater charges; call for clarity on small fees

Coppell staff presents balanced FY2026 budget, proposes slight tax-rate cut amid 6.6% valuation growth