Council postpones tax-rate vote after public hearing on proposed 2026 levy

The Glenn Heights City Council opened a public hearing Sept. 8 on an ordinance proposing a property tax rate for fiscal year 2026–27. City Manager Clifford Blackwell outlined the calculations used to set the proposed combined rate and described the distinction between the maintenance-and-operations (M&O) portion and the interest-and-sinking (I&S) portion of the levy.

Blackwell told the council the proposed combined rate being recommended was roughly 0.590821 per $100 of assessed valuation and said the no-new-revenue rate and voter-approval calculations had produced rates near the same interval. "The proposed rate that we're proposing for next year is slightly higher. It's at 59¢," Blackwell said during his presentation. A resident, Omar Mansovise, testified during the hearing that he opposes any tax increase and urged the council to pursue contributions from major developments instead: "anytime we we we talk about increasing our tax rate, I'm always interested to hear how are we going to spend that dollars," he said.

Following the public comment, councilmembers discussed statutory timing and the need for additional review. Because state law requires a waiting period after a public hearing, the council voted to postpone the final vote on the proposed tax rate until the Sept. 15, 2026 council meeting. A councilmember moved to postpone the vote and the motion carried on the record; staff said the delay is the earliest permissible under state statute.