Carol Willoughby, a Fair Oaks Ranch resident, urged the city council on July 3 to take steps to preserve the value of the city's 65‑and‑older property‑tax exemption for long‑time residents and retirees.

Willoughby said the exemption was originally $20,000 when the city formed in 1988 and was raised to $50,000 in February 2022. She said average home prices in Fair Oaks Ranch were about $600,000 (as stated in her remarks) and that the effective tax‑exemption percentage for the 65+ exemption has declined since 2022: staff numbers cited by the speaker were 8.1% in 2022, 7.4% in 2023 and 6.8% in 2024. Willoughby urged the council to consider policies that keep the exemption relevant for limited‑income homeowners who are retired and rely on Social Security.

The speaker also noted neighboring jurisdictions (she referenced Boerne and other nearby communities) that have tax approaches to attract or retain retirees. She closed by emphasizing the volunteer contributions of older residents to community life.