Commissioners adopt FY2027 budget and set tax rates after public hearing

Monica Harris, Collin County Budget and Finance Director, opened the FY2027 tax-rate public hearing and reviewed the county's revenue picture, tax-base growth and proposed budgets. "You have your adjusted taxable value which has increased 4.3% over the last year," Harris said, and she noted new construction growth and differences between median and average home values.

Harris presented the county's proposed general-fund and combined budgets, including a general fund of roughly $366,188,971, a total combined revenue budget cited at $633,900,000 and proposed expenditures of $619,600,000. She said property taxes fund a large share of the general fund—"property taxes make up 81% of the general fund revenue"—and explained Truth in Taxation calculations, including a no-new-revenue rate, unused increment and voter-approval math.

During the public hearing Angela Martinez criticized the proposed increases, saying the court was moving toward a fifth consecutive year of higher county taxes: "there's little doubt...that you're about to vote on both an effective tax increase and a tax rate increase resulting in the 5th year in a row of paying more taxes to the county."

After deliberations and several failed motions to seek department cuts or change compensation policy targets, the court approved tax-rate motions: the M&O (MNO) rate was adopted at 0.109564 (motion passed 4–1) and the debt-service rate at 0.041850 (motion passed 4–1). The court completed a record vote to adopt the combined tax rate (record vote passed 4–1) and then adopted the FY2027 budget as presented by similar record vote. Additional related actions included waiver of radio fees for the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department (motion carries 5–0) and adoption of elected-official salaries as presented (motion carries 4–1).

Budget materials referenced included the county's five-year tax-rate history, allocations by function (public safety largest share at ~33–36¢ of the rate), and staffing totals (2,170.5 FTEs reported with 161.5 requested positions resulting in 2,247 positions in the proposed budget). Harris also noted an accounting transfer that increased the general fund figures and a $69,540 loss of revenue related to not invoicing the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department for radios; staff recommended offsetting that with a small reduction to temporary staffing.

The court's actions formalize Collin County's FY2027 spending plan and tax rates; the adopted rates will be used for billing and official tax notices as required under state law.