Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Maintenance Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discusses May 3 street‑maintenance sales tax election; city limited to informational role
Summary
Council reviewed the street maintenance sales and use tax, past projects funded by the tax, and next steps to put a quarter‑cent extension on the May 3 ballot; city staff noted the municipality cannot formally advocate for the measure.
The Sachse City Council discussed placing a street maintenance sales and use tax extension on the May 3, 2025 ballot and reviewed the program’s past projects and revenue collections.
Corey Nesbitt presented the program background, explaining the street maintenance tax is funded by a local sales‑tax increment. “When people purchase taxable goods, we get a quarter of a cent of that goes to the street maintenance tax,” Nesbitt said. He reviewed prior funding tallies: $1,300,000 collected in the 2014–2017 period, $1,900,000 from 2018–2021, and $2,300,000 since 2022. He also displayed maps and lists of streets improved using those funds.
Councilmembers urged broad public notification if the council moves to place the question on the ballot, and several suggested messaging that explains tradeoffs: a successful extension keeps the quarter‑cent in place for streets; rejection simply results in not collecting that revenue. Ms. Haworth summarized that if voters reject the measure “we just don’t get it,” and staff confirmed the city would need to replace that revenue from other sources to maintain the same level of street work.
Funding source options and constraints were discussed. Staff said the proposed Salmon Park lighting project could be funded from fund balance, but council members suggested park development fees as an alternative; Ms. Nash pointed out that those fees “have to be approved by the Park Board.” Staff and council also discussed that MDD funds are currently earmarked for assigned projects.
City staff warned about campaign rules. “By law we are not allowed to be proponents of this election as the city,” Ms. Nash said, explaining the staff role is limited to public education: announcing the election, listing past projects, and explaining permitted uses of the funds. Individual councilmembers are free to advocate as private citizens, staff said.
Council directed staff to prepare the ordinance to call the May 3 election and return to the council at the Feb. 3 meeting to consider it. No formal vote on placing the question on the ballot occurred during the discussion; the item remained at the discussion stage.
