Paris Voters Reject City Property-Tax Rate Increase
Unofficial Lamar County results show Proposition A failing 3,414 to 2,161. The VATRE would have set the city rate at $0.57239 per $100.
Paris voters rejected a proposed city property-tax rate increase on Nov. 3. Unofficial Lamar County results show Proposition A failing by a wide margin.
According to the Lamar County Clarity elections site, last updated at 8:44:31 p.m. CST on Nov. 3 with 9 of 9 precincts reporting, the measure lost 3,414 to 2,161. That is 61.24% against and 38.76% for, by our math, with a margin of 1,253 votes. eExtra News reported the same totals as of 8:43 p.m. that night and noted 5,575 ballots cast on the proposition. The results remain unofficial until the canvass.
Paris City Hall from another angle, July 2015. Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Proposition A would have done
In August, the Paris City Council adopted a FY 2026-27 budget and proposed a total property tax rate of $0.57239 per $100 of taxable value, according to city coverage of the budget vote and the city's budget page. Because the Maintenance and Operations portion of that rate topped the state voter-approval threshold under Senate Bill 2, the council ordered a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election for Nov. 3.
The city's budget page lists the current city rate at $0.47239 per $100. The proposed rate of $0.57239 was the figure set to appear on the ballot. City materials said the proposed Maintenance and Operations rate was $0.416663 and the Interest and Sinking rate was $0.155727.
Before Election Day, city officials said approving the rate would raise about $3 million more in total property taxes than the prior year. For an average Paris home appraised at $171,256, they said the change would move the annual city tax bill from $809.00 to $980.25, about $14.27 a month. They also said 42.4 cents of every city tax dollar under the proposal would go to 24/7 police, fire and EMS, with 27.2 cents for public safety equipment, vehicles and capital bond obligations.
What a "no" vote means
Because voters rejected Proposition A, the higher rate does not take effect under the election order. The city must operate under the lower rate path set by state law after a failed VATRE, unless the council later takes a separate, lawful action. Residents with a 65-and-over or disabled tax freeze were already told the proposed rate would not lift their frozen city tax ceiling.
The city's budget page also notes that Paris collects about one-third of a typical homeowner's combined local property-tax bill. Roughly 48% of that combined bill goes to the local school district, about 15% to Lamar County, and about 3% to Paris Junior College. A city rate election does not change those other entities' rates.
City Hall is at 135 SE 1st Street, Paris, Texas 75460. The main number is (903) 785-7511. Property value questions go to the Lamar County Appraisal District at 521 Bonham Street, (903) 785-7822. The Finance Director's office, which handles city tax-rate questions, can be reached at (903) 784-9241.
Our view
City Hall asked for a bigger property-tax bite. Taxpayers said no. That is how a VATRE is supposed to work. The next job is to cut fat, keep police and fire strong, and live within the rate voters left on the table.
Hero photo: Paris City Hall, photographed in July 2015. Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
