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Ennis commissioners propose 0.680708 tax rate to cover infrastructure and a sales‑tax shortfall
Summary
City staff proposed a 0.680708 per $100 valuation tax rate for fiscal 2026 to generate roughly $500,050 for general fund needs, driven in part by an anticipated sales‑tax shortfall and aging infrastructure; the commission placed the proposed rate on record and scheduled public hearings.
Director Meeley presented the proposed property tax framework for fiscal 2026 and recommended a proposed rate of 0.680708 per $100 valuation (described in staff materials as the voter‑approval equivalent rate for next year). Meeley said the certified property valuation the city received on July 25 reflected reductions from earlier preliminary figures — a drop attributed to many property tax protests filed near the deadline — and that staff calculated revenue impacts based on the certified valuations.
Meeley explained the tax components: the maintenance and operations (M&O) rate that funds general‑fund operations (staffing, public safety, core services), the interest and sinking (I&S) rate for debt service, and tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZ). He said the proposed 0.680708 rate would yield approximately an additional $500,050 in revenue to help address aging infrastructure needs and offset an expected sales‑tax revenue shortfall of roughly $500,000.
Several commissioners questioned and clarified how the no‑new‑revenue, de minimis, and voter‑approval calculations were displayed in the slides and confirmed small numeric differences (staff explained the tax collector’s worksheet and unused tax increment calculations were factors). Commissioners also discussed fiscal choices, including the need to protect core services such as public safety and to prioritize streets and infrastructure investments.
The commission voted to put the proposed tax rate on the record and set public hearings: a budget workshop on Aug. 14, a public hearing on Aug. 19 for the budget discussion, and a separate public hearing on Sept. 2 for the proposed property tax rate. Director Meeley and the mayor emphasized that the proposed rate aims to provide fiscal flexibility to avoid mid‑year staff layoffs and service cuts if sales‑tax receipts remain weak.
Next steps: the city will publish required notices and continue the budget workshops and hearings so the public may comment before the commission adopts a final rate later in the process.
