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Kennedale officials say senior tax-freeze takes effect in 2024; reimbursement for 2023 not legally allowed
Summary
City Manager Daryl Hall told residents the council-adopted ordinance implementing a senior/disabled tax freeze is written to begin in 2024 and was filed with the appraisal district; staff said state law sets the earliest effective year and that retroactive reimbursement for 2023 is not permitted by law.
City Manager Daryl Hall told attendees at the Kennedale City Council meeting on Nov. 19 that the city’s ordinance adopting a senior/disabled tax freeze is written to take effect in 2024 and that the implementation steps were filed with the appraisal district (TAD).
The clarification came after several residents raised concerns during the public-comment period that seniors who expected the freeze to apply to the 2023 tax year were billed differently. Resident Christina Husfeld asked council to “figure out what happened” and urged the city to “keep their promise” to seniors; Laurie Sanders said she had been told repeatedly the freeze would apply and defended the city manager’s long service.
Hall said the ordinance language is clear and that the city filed the ordinance with TAD. “Currently, the ordinance is written where it takes effect in 2024,” Hall said, adding that the city could not lawfully reimburse taxpayers for a prior year even if the council had intended that outcome. City staff and the city attorney told council the earliest the freeze could legally begin was 2024 under state law.
Why it matters: Seniors on fixed incomes told council they rely on the relief. City officials said they are working to be transparent about the ordinance and directed residents to the published ordinance and the city website for details. Hall said staff would provide the ordinance and related paperwork to residents who asked and stressed that the city is working to resolve public questions about timing and filing.
What’s next: City staff said they would make the ordinance and filing paperwork available to residents who request it and continue outreach to explain how the freeze appears on the tax bill for qualifying homeowners when they pay their 2024 taxes.
