Dallas homeowners are facing a mixed property‑tax picture as the city and county move in different directions. On September 16, the Dallas City Council voted to set the city’s property‑tax rate at $0.6978 per $100 of assessed valuation, down from $0.6988 the year before. City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert presented a FY 2026‑27 budget that does not raise the rate, a move praised by local taxpayers seeking relief.
Revenue Outlook Remains Positive
Even with the lower rate, the city’s budget projects about $76.3 million more in current‑year property‑tax revenue – a 4.8 % increase over the prior levy. Roughly $27.4 million of that rise comes from newly added property, and the approved rate still sits above the city’s calculated no‑new‑revenue rate of $0.662063. In practical terms, the reduction in the rate does not automatically translate into lower bills for every homeowner; higher property values and added assessments can offset the rate cut.
County Proposition A on the November Ballot
Dallas County voters will consider Proposition A on November 3. The measure would raise the county tax rate to $0.248650 per $100 of taxable property value, an increase of 3.315 cents over the 2025 rate and 2.4 cents above the 2026 voter‑approved rate. For a typical $300,000 property, the proposed rate would add about $99.45 annually, with $72 of that amount reflecting the increase above the 2026 rate.
County officials estimate the additional 2.4 cents would generate roughly $102.9 million for programs targeting homelessness, encampment removal, mental‑health treatment, and housing assistance. The county’s FY 2027 budget also projects a $189.4 million rise in overall property‑tax revenue – a 22.51 % jump from the previous budget.
Political and Community Perspectives
County Judge Clay Jenkins and Commissioners Theresa Daniel and Andrew Sommerman supported placing Proposition A on the ballot, while Commissioners John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia opposed it. Republican County Commissioner‑District 2 nominee Barry Wernick argued that spending oversight should be addressed before any tax increase, whereas independent homelessness tracker Mark Nunneley praised the proposal for its potential to reduce downtown street counts and expand services.
State‑Level School Tax Relief Proposals
Separate from the local measures, Texas lawmakers are debating broader school‑property‑tax relief. The current statewide homestead exemption is $140,000, with an extra $60,000 for homeowners 65 or older or disabled. Proposals include raising the general exemption to $200,000 or, as outlined by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, creating a $180,000 exemption for homeowners under 55 and $240,000 for older qualifying owners, while also lowering the eligibility age for school‑tax ceilings from 65 to 55. None of these proposals have become law.
For a hypothetical $400,000 home with a school‑district rate of $1 per $100, increasing the exemption from $140,000 to $200,000 would save about $600 annually in school taxes. However, that saving would be offset by the county’s proposed 2.4‑cent increase, which would add roughly $76.80 per year under the same assumptions.
What Voters Need to Know
Dallas voters will see two distinct Proposition A items on the ballot: the county tax increase described above and a separate city‑bond measure authorizing $443 million in general‑obligation bonds for public‑safety facilities such as police training, emergency operations, evidence storage, and a crime laboratory. The city estimates total repayment of about $629.6 million over a 20‑year period. While the bond measure is labeled a tax increase under state law, officials say it will not raise the city’s property‑tax rate.
Homeowners should consider the total tax burden across all jurisdictions – city, county, and school districts – rather than focusing on a single rate change. Early voting runs through October 30, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, according to the Texas Secretary of State.
Original reporting: WBAP News/Talk (Dallas-Fort Worth) — read the source article.
