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Commission backs 0.680708 tax rate to shore up general fund amid sales‑tax decline
Summary
City staff proposed a tax rate of 0.680708 per $100 of valuation to raise roughly $500,050 for general fund priorities, including streets and core services; commissioners debated the need for the increase as sales‑tax revenue is projected to decline.
The Ennis City Commission on Aug. 5 approved a proposal to set a property tax rate of 0.680708 per $100 valuation for fiscal 2026 that staff said would raise approximately $500,050 for the general fund to support core services and address aging infrastructure.
Director Meeley told the commission the proposed rate is based on a certified property valuation the city received on July 25 and explained the tax‑rate components (maintenance & operations, interest & sinking) and how the voter‑approval and de minimis calculations were prepared. “The proposed tax rate for the fiscal year 2026 is 0.680708,” Meeley said, and staff showed a multi‑year trend in rates and valuations to frame the recommendation.
The discussion centered on revenue pressures and spending priorities. Meeley and other staff explained that final certified valuations were lower than preliminary numbers because of a high volume of taxpayer protests, and the city anticipates a significant sales‑tax shortfall that the proposed property‑tax increase would not fully cover but would materially reduce. Meeley said the additional revenue is intended to preserve public safety and core administrative functions and to invest in streets and infrastructure.
Mayor Cameron Rayburn emphasized the difficulty of the decision and the need to be fiscally responsible while funding critical services. “These are the difficult decisions that we have to sit up here and we have to make on behalf of the citizens,” Rayburn said, noting possible layoffs and the importance of protecting basic services.
Commissioners discussed technical details of the rate worksheet and how the de minimis and voter‑approval calculations were derived; staff explained the tax collector’s worksheet and why some lines reference prior‑year rates. After extended discussion, the commission approved taking the proposed rate forward; staff will hold budget workshops and the required public hearings on the schedule presented.
What’s next: The commission set dates for public hearings (budget workshop Aug. 14; public hearing on the property tax rate Aug. 19 with an additional public hearing Sept. 2 for the ordinance) and adopted a record vote on the proposal at the meeting.
Votes and formal action: The commission adopted the motion to propose the rate in a recorded vote at the Aug. 5 meeting; staff will follow the statutory publication and public‑hearing schedule before final adoption.
