Impact on taxpayers: No increase on our property tax rate.

“Get the facts, then vote YES to protect taxpayers with an innovative & responsible shift in how existing tax revenue is used. As past debt is paid down, the proposed referendum would allow a portion of the tax rate currently dedicated to debt service to be redirected to daily city operations. With passage of Proposition A, there will be no increase in your property tax rate."

Bryan Bradford 
Former Garland City Manager

The facts: 

  • A portion of the rate now used for debt service would be shifted to the operating budget to fund police, fire, EMS, roads, parks, libraries, arts, economic development, and other core services.

  • City leaders can make this change because responsible debt reduction has lowered the amount needed to pay past voter-approved bond obligations.

  • Like households and businesses, inflation has forced our city to deal with higher costs for fuel, equipment, construction, insurance, technology and personnel. The measure will help Garland maintain service levels and address these rising costs with no increase in our overall city property tax rate.

What a YES vote means.

A YES vote authorizes Garland to redirect the portion of the tax rate described in the ballot proposition from debt service to city operations, while the city reduces the overall tax rate by 1¢" per $100 valuation. This will allow the city to hire 10 more police officers to patrol neighborhoods, 9 more firefighters, 8 emergency response dispatchers, and better staffing and more materials to improve vital city services staffing for vital city services like code enforcement, road repairs, parks, arts, libraries, and animal shelters.

WHAT A NO VOTE MEANS.

A NO vote leaves the current allocation rules in place, limiting the city’s ability to use that portion of the tax rate for police, fire, EMS, roads, parks, and other operating needs. While the tax rate would decrease by 4.7¢, the average monthly savings would be less than $9 per household. With rising costs due to inflation, the city will lose the ability to hire additional police officers, firefighters, and emergency response dispatchers and will limit staffing and materials for road repairs, parks, arts, libraries, and animal shelters.