Title
Conduct a public hearing on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating and Capital Improvement Program Budget in accordance with Article IV of the City Charter; and take appropriate action.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Finance Department
BACKGROUND:
A public hearing is being held to consider the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating and Capital Improvement Program Budget. The proposed budget was filed with the City Secretary on July 31, 2026, and copies were made available for public review at City Hall and on the City’s website.
The City Council held a budget discussion on August 18, 2026, to provide guidance on the budget and tax rate. The budget and tax rate were also discussed during a Town Hall meeting held on August 25, 2026. The City Council will hold another meeting on September 17, 2026, to vote to adopt the tax rate. All meetings will be held beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the City of Farmers Branch, City Hall Council Chambers, located at 13000 William Dodson Parkway, Farmers Branch, Texas.
Subsequent to public budget deliberation meetings, the current proposed budget was based on maintaining the current tax rate of $0.5435. However, for Truth-in-Taxation purposes, the City Council approved a motion to consider a maximum tax rate of $0.608512 to allow flexibility, time to deliberate, and the voices of residents to be heard.
Senate Bill No. 656 requires the budget cover page to have specific wording, font size, and calculations for gross property tax revenue in the budget adoption process. Also, per Senate Bill No. 656, the City must state the following due to passing a motion to consider a maximum tax rate of $0.608512, which is more than the tax rate used to support the proposed budget: “This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of $9,813,456, which is a 18.95 percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $916,737.”
However, if the tax rate of $0.5435 that was used in preparing the budget is adopted, it will result in a property tax levy that will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $3,231,527, which is a 6.24% increase from last year’s budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll, if the tax rate of $0.5435 is maintained, is $818,794.
More information regarding the proposed budget and tax rate can be found on the City’s website here: <https://www.farmersbranchtx.gov/524/Budget>
DISCUSSION:
The procedure for the September 15 City Council meeting will be as follows:
1. The Mayor will open the public hearing.
2. Comments will be heard from citizens.
3. The hearing will be closed. City Council discussion will follow.
4. The City Council will take a vote to adopt the budget and ratify the tax revenue increase reflected in the budget.
DISTRICT:
Citywide
POSSIBLE COUNCIL ACTION:
1. I move to open the public hearing, take comments, and close the public hearing.
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Presentation