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Rockwall council hears public comment on FY2026 budget; decision set for Sept. 15
Summary
Council members heard hours of public comment on the proposed fiscal 2026 budget and a proposed tax rate of $0.2575 per $100 valuation. No final vote was taken; council scheduled adoption for Sept. 15 and discussed scenarios tying bond issuance levels to required budget cuts.
Rockwall — The Rockwall City Council opened a public hearing Sept. 2 on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and a proposed property tax rate of $0.2575 per $100 of assessed value, heard several hours of public comment and discussion, and set formal adoption for the council’s Sept. 15 meeting.
The proposed rate is the advertised maximum; council members and staff presented scenarios showing how different bond-issuance choices and tax-rate options affect operations and capital spending. City Manager Mary Smith told council that the budget as proposed assumes a $0.2575 tax rate and issuing $22,000,000 of a voter-approved $85,000,000 street reconstruction bond program, and that issuing that level of debt while keeping the tax rate lower would require operational cuts.
Why it matters: The council is balancing competing priorities — preserving pay and recruitment for police and fire, maintaining and rebuilding streets, and limiting the tax burden on residents. Speakers at the hearing stressed…
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