Garland council delays planned tax-rate shift, reviews $360 million bond package and $575 million CIP amid bond-rating concerns

Garland — Garland City Council members on Saturday agreed to delay a proposed November 2025 ballot measure that would shift part of the property tax rate from debt service to the operations and maintenance (O&M) rate, and spent most of a special work session reviewing a proposed $360 million 2025 bond package and a $575 million five‑year capital improvement program (CIP).

The council signaled unanimous support to push the tax-rate change to the November 2026 ballot after hearing finance staff’s recommendation to wait a year to avoid overlapping voter asks and to reduce budget and certification risks. “Our recommendation is to go ahead and push this off to November of 2026,” Budget and Finance staff member Matt said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Finance staff said the roughly $0.02 of tax-rate shift being discussed would generate about $7 million annually for the general fund if moved from debt service to O&M, preserving operating capacity for services and new facilities. But staff warned the change would reduce capital revenue and, if acted on for November 2025, would require an expedited budget schedule and rely on uncertified property‑tax numbers during the summer budget process.

What the council reviewed

Bond program: Staff described four proposed propositions totaling $360 million. The largest is a streets and corridors proposition of $230 million — including $20 million added for gateways and corridors — representing about 64% of the total package. Economic development measures were shown at roughly $75 million, cultural arts (focused on the Granville Arts Center) at $25 million, and parks/Harbor Point waterfront access at $30 million. Bond counsel and staff said language on several propositions aims to be flexible so the city can respond to…