Ballinger residents urge council not to adopt maximum tax rate during public hearing

The Ballinger Town Council opened a public hearing on the proposed FY2026 budget and tax rate, and residents urged elected officials to avoid setting the tax rate at the maximum amount allowed by law.

A resident questioned why the council initially moved to adopt the full allowable tax increase without requiring voter approval, saying the approach transfers rising appraisal burdens directly to homeowners. The resident asked, "why y'all originally decided to take the tax increase to the max amount allowed by law without requiring a vote by the citizens?" and asked the council to consider backing off that full increase when they take the final vote.

Council members and residents debated the trade-off between raising revenue to address deferred maintenance and the public's tolerance for tax increases. One council member acknowledged the town needs to "catch up" on deferred spending, but several residents urged restraint and called for visible, demonstrable improvements if rates rise. The presiding official advised citizens that property owners can protest appraisal values before June 1.

The hearing also included comparisons drawn by residents to neighboring towns' tax decisions; speakers said some nearby municipalities are pulling back while others are increasing rates. No formal action was taken during the public comments portion; the council will consider the budget and tax rate at a future meeting.