Consider and take appropriate action regarding Ordinance O-18-26, an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Kaufman, Texas, levying taxes and fixing and adopting the tax rate on all taxable property for the year 2026 within the corporate limits of the City of Kaufman, Texas as of January 1, 2026; the said tax rate having a maintenance and operations component and a debt service component; providing when taxes shall become due and when same shall become delinquent if not paid together with

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

Property taxes fund the debt service obligations of the City and account for approximately 37.3% of the General Fund revenue. State law requires three record votes when the budget will raise more property tax revenue than was generated in the previous year. The first record vote adopts the budget, the second record vote sets the tax rate, and the third, additional, record vote ratifies the property tax revenue increase reflected in the budget. The property tax rate must be approved and adopted by the governing body of the City by September 30, 2026. The Kaufman County Tax Office collects the property taxes for the City and has requested the adopted tax rate by September 15, 2026, in order to mail tax statements in October.

This motion is scored as RESTRAINS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 8.7/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, voting YES on measures that cap or reduce ad valorem tax burdens, expand taxpayer exemptions, retire debt early, enforce competitive bidding caps, or remove regulatory/zoning barriers to private property rights earns a positive Pro-Liberty score.