Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper
Related Articles
Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen urged city officials to lower the tax rate for the first time in nearly 20 years in a memo sent to the city council and city manager this week.
“Even if it’s only a small amount, it will show we are listening, and we truly do care,” Jensen said in the letter, which he posted to Facebook.
Overall property taxes in Grand Prairie vary because the city is spread across three different counties — Dallas, Tarrant and Ellis — and four school districts — Grand Prairie, Arlington, Mansfield and Cedar Hill.
But the city tax rate alone is just under $0.67 per $100 of taxable value. For a home valued at $250,000, the annual city property tax bill would be about $1,675.
The mayor’s call comes as house prices are climbing in the D-FW area, giving many home owners sticker shock with higher property taxes. Additionally, many cities near Grand Prairie have recently lowered their property taxes, including Arlington, Grapevine and Colleyville.
While Arlington’s tax rate is comparable to Grand Prairie’s, if still lower, at $0.6225 per $100 of assessed value, both Grapevine and Colleyville have tax rates that are less than half that of Grand Prairie.
Jensen, who has served as mayor since 2013, laid out other priorities for city officials, including increasing the homestead tax exemption, which he said offers the “greatest savings for our homeowners.” The city currently allows for a homestead tax exemption of $5,000, or 10% of the home’s value, whichever is higher.
The mayor also said he would like to better educate residents about steps the city has taken to lower their tax bills, including a senior tax freeze and senior exemption, which allows for an additional $45,000 tax exemption for residents 65 and older.
In addition, Jensen said he wants to educate residents about city services and amenities made possible with tax dollars, like police, parks, streets and libraries.
“Citizens get great value for their dollar with the city,” the mayor wrote.