Budget Debate Turns Into A Pay And Tax Rate Discussion

Rockwall residents spent much of Tuesday night’s City Council meeting weighing the proposed fiscal 2027 budget and tax rate, with the biggest divide centering on whether the city should stay with the lower advertised rate or move up to the voter-approval rate of 26.27.

City staff said the higher rate would bring in about $434,000 more than the amount currently built into the budget. City Manager Mary Smith said she had looked at 57 different ways to use that money and noted that needs exist across multiple departments. She said some requests had already been cut because the city did not have room in the budget for staffing, equipment, or other spending.

During public comment, speakers tied the budget debate to public safety and employee pay. Some urged the council to avoid a tax increase and look for cuts or reserves instead, while others said the city had kept its tax rate low for years even as population and service demands rose. Rockwall Police Officers Association representative Lori Burks said the issue was not about raises this year, but about maintaining service levels as the city grows.

Council members also said the discussion was not finished. Several said they wanted more time to review the budget before the next meeting on Sept. 21, and the city has already scheduled a special budget meeting for Sept. 28. Mayor Pro Tem Mueller said he would support the voter-approval rate and wanted the added revenue to go toward raises for rank-and-file employees, while other council members said they planned to reserve final comments until the next meeting.