Parker City Council proposes 2025 tax rate of 0.310439 ahead of public hearing

Parker City Council is gearing up for a significant budgetary decision, as members discussed a proposed tax rate increase during their recent meeting. The council is considering adopting a tax rate of 0.310439 for the fiscal year 2025-2026, which is notably higher than the no-new-revenue tax rate of 0.299267. This proposed rate is just over a penny less than the de minimis rate, the maximum tax rate that can be set without requiring an election.

Council member Pilgrim emphasized that while this rate represents a safety net for potential revenue shortfalls, it does not obligate the council to raise taxes to that level. The de minimis rate is designed to provide flexibility for smaller cities, allowing them to generate more property tax revenue than in previous years, which is crucial for communities with populations under 30,000.

A public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate is scheduled for September 9, 2025, at 7 PM, where residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions before the council votes on the adoption of the budget and tax rate.

In addition to the budget discussions, the council also addressed the rising costs associated with housing prisoners at the Collin County Sheriff's Office. The police chief noted that while the current arrangement with Wyler is less expensive, the backup plan with Collin County is necessary for operational efficiency.

As the council moves forward, the decisions made in the upcoming public hearing will have lasting implications for the city's financial health and community services.