Another tax increase? Stop it Plano, you're drunk!
Posted by Suburbking@reddit | plano | View on Reddit | 105 comments
Seriously, we are paying the highest dollar rate we ever have. It's time for Plano to start living within it's means. Literally on the opposite page of this article is another where Plano approved 13.5 million dollar rec center expansion. You have people that can't afford their homes because of taxes and insurance increases. Give us a break!
Necessary-Pride-8646@reddit
any one know where to contest the tax increase of a property?
SportingDirector@reddit
I wonder how much of our tax money goes to private school vouchers.
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
At the moment none, but after the 2025 legislation session that will probably change.
SportingDirector@reddit
I hope it doesn't change
PassinCPAsAndBleezys@reddit
We need a bigger high school football stadium.
therealallpro@reddit
I found the problem
cuberandgamer@reddit
Correct, many suburbs (like plano) have put in strict restrictions on what can and cannot be built.
You could spread your tax burden across more residents, lowering the tax rate for everyone.
It seems like a lot of people in Plano truly believe they should have been the last ones to move to the city.
strawhairhack@reddit
Ah yes, thanks again to the lovely NIMBYs of the Plano Future PAC.
ranjithd@reddit
need to fund parker road repairs until 2035
strawhairhack@reddit
As this comes up every year, it’s time for everyone take a look at their Property Tax bill for the year. You’ll notice city taxes are FAR below the majority of your yearly tax. That honor goes to School taxes. Normally this is fine but the vast majority of that tax goes back to the state in the form of Recapture. Again, fine in concept.
However, the problem becomes there is effectively ZERO transparency and therefore no accountability to the Recapture program. It’s a black hole of money, usually going towards Charter schools (who are not accountable to public standards). It’s a system ripe for corruption, funneling public tax dollars to private companies for privately managed schools with no accountability.
Cloudy_Automation@reddit
Do we know that slush fund isn't used to put Abbott's army on the border, and pay for all the immigrant bus rides? We need a Constitutional Amendment to prevent public education tax money from being spent on anything but public education. Anything else should be funded by appropriations. Charter schools? Border controls? Appropriate it.
nohcho84@reddit
You either pay for immigrant bus rides or you pay for immigrants that settle in Texas. Pick your poison
SteveRD1@reddit
Poison? How about we pass legislation so people who want to work here can, and then we have affordable labor.
Without more workers, labor costs will continue to rise; with the accompanying effects on prices of everything.
nohcho84@reddit
Affordable labor huh? I want you to go any gas station here in Texas in the morning and tell me which demographic you see at every gas station pulling up in work trucks on their way to every imaginable construction site? I want you to go to any corporate campus just here in plano alone and tell me which demographic is represented overwhelmingly? We have zero labor shortage in country. Zero
SteveRD1@reddit
I don't understand your point.
The only reason our population doesn't decline is due to immigration. Our demographics would be disastrous without it.
Countries like Japan, China, Italy are entering long term population decline as they are very unwelcome to immigrants.
Upbeat-Natural-7120@reddit
How about no?
nohcho84@reddit
How about no what?
Upbeat-Natural-7120@reddit
How about no illegals whatsoever? I reject both options.
nohcho84@reddit
Well since the border is open like a siv, seems like that's not an option
Upbeat-Natural-7120@reddit
Currently, sure. I just mean in the broader sense.
runfayfun@reddit
Nothing wrong with immigrants. If Abbott's landscaper's daughter has to be here so her dad can landscape his home, no reason we should think twice about funding her education. It would cost far more to build a fence or patrol the border at current contracting rates.
Diabetesh@reddit
What can be done to find how that money is being used?
strawhairhack@reddit
That’s a good question. Best I can give you is start researching Recapture and contacting your local state representative demanding accountability. It’s not something they’ll give into easily so we’d all have to make A LOT of noise. Voting Abbott and friends out wouldn’t hurt either. :)
runfayfun@reddit
I mean, the budgets are public. It's not rocket science. The money is going to the wealthy, the top 0.1%, which y'all and I aren't part of.
Apollo_gentile@reddit
The state doesn’t want to give up their slush fund.. The state hasn’t raised the basic student allotment since 2019, which is wild considering the last 4 years, so while our property taxes and inflation continue to increase Plano is forced to send millions more to the state while schools suffer for it
strawhairhack@reddit
Amen. Last I checked the average per child nationwide is around $10k-11k per student. I believe Texas is still paying out around $6,100. Considering Plano paid about $250 million in Recapture payments for 22-23, this lack of student spending is ridiculous, if not actually criminal.
Apollo_gentile@reddit
I know the recapture is meant to help rural and poorer districts and I 100% agree with the idea of it but the formula needs to be thrown out and redone; sending 250 million to the state while the ISD is forced to dip into reserves is criminal
strawhairhack@reddit
Absolutely. And based off the last legislative session, we know the rural districts aren’t seeing that money. So the question becomes, who is?
runfayfun@reddit
How do you think they're luring corporations to the state?
You've got to decide: big corporation welfare, or my kids' education. And go vote accordingly.
ArrowTechIV@reddit
Excellent point!
lathamb_98@reddit
Soon that money will also go to fund private schools when school vouchers pass. This will only make the problem worse.
strawhairhack@reddit
It already is funding Charter Schools. Private schools in Public School clothing.
lathamb_98@reddit
Except with no standards or qualifications for teachers needed. Anyone can teach anything they want and get that sweet taxpayer money.
Texas_Mike_CowboyFan@reddit
Do we just have the two? Lone Star Language, and Harmony Science?
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
Plano is a perfect example of the Suburban Growth Ponzi Scheme. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/5/14/americas-growth-ponzi-scheme-md2020
Allen will be next.
hindusoul@reddit
Richardson, Frisco…etc
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
Richardson has gone through it. Frisco still has a few decades of growth before it catches up with them. But yes, they are also good examples.
hindusoul@reddit
Don’t forget about Celina and pretty much the rest of Collin County
SteveRD1@reddit
I've always thought this a relatively easy fix. When your city starts struggling with these legacy costs sell up and move out to a new city that doesn't have one yet.
A house in close should sell for more than one in a distant suburb!
Vincentamerica@reddit
Okay okay okay hear me out: they need more money for more roadwork!
ALaccountant@reddit
I'm not voting for another property tax increase considering Plano doesn't seem to know what to do with the budget surplus they already have. They can stuff themselves imo
formerhugeNsyncfan@reddit
The city is facing a budget shortfall this year which is why they needed the increase. Either cut services or increase taxes, looks like the city already chose to increase taxes and they already have tightened their belts on employee benefits.
leaderjoe89@reddit
I’ll pay extra as long as we raise fees for non residential use of our resources and build the bridges and bypasses intended at every major spring creek intersection… Oh and getting dart to provide proper services or replace dart with local controlled bus services.
strawhairhack@reddit
If my math is right, I don’t believe MERIT increases have happened in over a decade. Only Cost of Living.
formerhugeNsyncfan@reddit
Your math is correct, they don't do merit and they didn't do col's at least the 1st year of COVID and no Col increase this year either. They also increased insurance premiums for employees. That said generally they treat their employees well with their median plus 5 philosophy on compensation.
Apollo_gentile@reddit
The voters have already approved a rate up to .4293; the announcement is in the website and all the council already voted yes for the recommended rate in the OP
ALaccountant@reddit
Thank you, thought this was another increase per title
Apollo_gentile@reddit
Technically it is an increase they just don’t have to go through the voters for it
SmellyKitten88@reddit
Texas = Taxes. We have no state income tax but don’t worry…we’ll collect that shit another way
charly371@reddit
Not really surprised. It will get worst with time as gov growth is endless. Look it up they are the one hiring everybody these days...
Colonel_Janus@reddit
literally just make housing affordable to flip the generational composition of the city and your problem is basically solved. The older residents are bankrupting the city lol
clone557639@reddit
I agree with affordable housing but who gets to decide what is considered affordable and what’s not considered affordable? Genuinely curious, not trying to argue.
Colonel_Janus@reddit
nah you're good. Mostly just market value of houses relative to local incomes working predominantly against first time homebuyers. Even young ppl making decent incomes just can't afford houses rn since home prices haven't come down substantially in the area but rates are still super high relative to a few yrs ago
Artistic-Soft4305@reddit
Doesn’t help the fact that no one in Plano is moving or downsizing as they get older and we’re going to slowly have to shut down the schools. Which is fine in itself, but then you just get stores and events aimed towards older people and makes it a terrible place to live.
nohcho84@reddit
Where should all these old people go?
Artistic-Soft4305@reddit
What do you think the word downsizing means
Colonel_Janus@reddit
yeah from what I understand there's an additional homestead exemption for older ppl here too so they're paying very little in taxes back to the city and are just sitting on either older paid off homes or refinanced mortgages at super low rates with no reason to leave lol
ZeRussian@reddit
65+ get an additional $40k on top of the $100k homestead exemption and their property taxes are capped, so if the value goes up, their prop taxes are frozen in place.
greenflash1775@reddit
Ooooh maybe we can get more signs that point out made up names of areas that never existed before the sign got made.
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
Those signs were paid for with Hotel Occupancy Taxes. The state restricts the use of HOT revenue and it cannot be part of general revenue (the day to day operation of the city).
greenflash1775@reddit
Cool. I’m sure there’s a better project that they could have come up with.
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
Probably, but those funds have to be spent on projects that encourage tourism or improve the tourist experience. Yes, I know Plano is a major tourist destination! 😂
greenflash1775@reddit
God knows the city could have just held a music festival or something else that would actually attract tourists.
the_Annada@reddit
They took almost an year to redo the one mile stretch between mcdermott n hedgecox on independence and it wasnt even broken.
This after zillions of accidents , scratched cars with badly attached cones.
fartpluswetone@reddit
After almost 2 years they're still working on the Alma Parker intersection...
runfayfun@reddit
They can't afford their homes because they bought the most expensive house the bank would approve them for.
You see so many complaints related to poor city service in here but when Plano wants to fund an improvement in services, suddenly there's a problem...
How about figuring out what you really want and then determine if you should cry about it publicly.
Suburbking@reddit (OP)
That's West plano, and those people can afford the taxes. I'm talking about the Middle and East plano where people have owned for 30 years that are now priced out. They are the ones that are on fixed I come, often with paid off homes.and are still struggling because taxes have doubled or more.
BeeMore2753@reddit
Aren't schools closing due to low enrollment, why would more money be needed?
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
The city and ISD are separate entities with separate budgets and separate tax rates.
Apollo_gentile@reddit
This is a separate rate from the Plano ISD rate
BeeMore2753@reddit
Gah , plano is turning into NJ
dallasdude@reddit
Is 0.4176 not the current rate for 2023?
I am looking at Collin CAD and see this:
CPL (Plano City) 0.417600 (2023 Rate)
Apollo_gentile@reddit
Okay so I did some digging because I wasn’t sure either; basic summary, there is the recommended rate and a “no new revenue” rate
NNR Rate - basically the adjusted rate to get to the same revenue as the prior year if all properties are taxed on their increased value; in essence the rate is reduced to offset the value growth of properties; so if you had 100M in 2023 then you’d get to 100M in 2024
For 2024 that rate is .3972
The city is recommending a rate of .4176 to increase revenues in 2024 or an avg increase of $186 per household
cuberandgamer@reddit
If you have an NNR rate, due to inflation, you are effectively cutting the budget. NNR tax rates are unsustainable long term.
Empty_Sky_1899@reddit
And one of the reasons Plano now has a shortfall.
Swirls109@reddit
They really need to refocus their tax sights on corporations. Increase property taxes on commercial properties. Increase taxes on homes valued over 2 million. Increase taxes on vehicles valued over 100k. There are a whole slew of different ways to tax the area that wouldn't burden the populace.
BeeMore2753@reddit
The problem is those same targets will just get up and leave. Thats the problem with taxing the upper class and wealthy
Swirls109@reddit
They will only leave if the taxes hike too high to where it's more expensive to stay than to sell off and pay to land somewhere else. It's a cost benefit analysis that has to be juggled. It's very important make policies that balance things like that instead of blanket assertions that negatively affect your citizen base.
nohcho84@reddit
Ah yes, tax corporations too much and they will leave so instead let's tax the population, the captive audience right? That'll show em
Swirls109@reddit
Buddy if you are still buying that story you must be an advocate for trickle down economics too.
Texas_Mike_CowboyFan@reddit
Sounds like you played Sim City back in the day. Keep the tax rate as high as you can while still keeping the people smiling. Back it off when they cry.
Swirls109@reddit
For the ultra wealthy and corporations that siphon money away from communities and take advantage of tax codes? Yes. For regular citizens? No.
Texas_Mike_CowboyFan@reddit
Cities hand out tax exemptions to corporations like Toyota to build here, but don't care that it increases the burden on the rest of us. I'm sure someone is doing the math somewhere and maybe it's ultimately a net positive (jobs, people buying stuff) but it doesn't feel that way when they're picking our pockets for more money.
Swirls109@reddit
I don't know about Plano itself, but I have friends that work in municipalities across the country, some big and some small, and they don't ever do that calculation. Maybe because it's usually the past politicians that put it in place and the new people only care about making a name. That last part is only speculation. I think we should absolutely audit deals we make as a city.
Texas_Mike_CowboyFan@reddit
Solid idea!
heinzenfeinzen@reddit
Remember that the city gave corporations tax exemptions to draw corporations to Plano -- Toyota is a good example. The city is not going to tax corporations.
Engagethedawn@reddit
Focus on taxing corporations large empty parking lots, large unused office spaces, and more importantly unused buildings. There shouldn't be months of unused building spaces just waiting/sitting.
strawhairhack@reddit
I feel this is a viable solution as parking lots at taxed at significantly lower level than developed property. Compel these lot owners to either develop them responsibly or pay a more equitable share.
nutella47@reddit
I thought the rationale for not doing that was to be business friendly to attract more businesses to headquarter here.
Swirls109@reddit
Why can't we pull a strategy like companies do? Lower barrier of entry and then slowly jack it up until they complain? We want to run government like a business right? Let's take a play out of their book.
Mynplus1throwaway@reddit
Don't vehicle taxes go to county and state?
rickybobbyscrewchief@reddit
Vehicles are only taxed at the time of sale at 6.25%, and I believe that's all/only paid to the state unless there is some after the collection sharing between the state comptroller's office and local entities of which in not aware. It's the extra 2% +/- sales tax on other categories that goes to the city. And then there's vehicle registration (value not a consideration, and also goes to the state). So vehicle value has zero effect on Plano tax revenue.
white_castle@reddit
How about they don’t commit to these ridiculously expensive poorly managed, long running, city-wide road projects that leave the streets torn up for years.
CaptainZhon@reddit
lol these posts. When the isd does it no one bats eye…”it’s for the kids”, and “I’ll pay ANYTHING for my kid” frack budgeting. When the city needs more revenue it’s hell hath no fury from the citizens. The citizens wants this or want that- well that costs money.
If you look at your tax bill you see the city changes HALF (more than half) of the ISD for property tax- so maybe you should ask why the ISD needs so much money.
City of Plano- 0.417 Plano ISD - 1.07 (2023) Tax from CCAD
TexasGrrl@reddit
you are lucky! move to Rowlett we are at 0.778612!! ridiculous
saajsiw@reddit
Please don’t forget 34% of revenue from Collin County taxes goes directly to the state. More than 1 out of every 3$ earned goes to Abbott who holds it hostage until he gets school vouchers passed. As someone who grew up in Plano schools it’s beyond sad that how far we’ve dropped in national rankings.
biguglybill@reddit
You think the drop in rankings is due to a lack of funding? My kids elementary school seems great. The Plano high schools appear to be well funded.
IhomniaI_Wanzi@reddit
So stupid! Plano is only for the wealthy and proud of it.
jminer1@reddit
It's a $23 average increase and people act like they're loosing everything.
TheDutchTexan@reddit
Yeah no. We got some reprieve last year and now you want to claw it back in local taxes? You need to lower it. Every single middle class family is up the creek right now. And next year won’t get better overnight.
OkQuietGuys@reddit
You can pretend inflation isn't real and that politics doesn't have consequences for only so long.
Kevdasev3@reddit
Someone told me plano hasnt had a tax increase in a few years is this true?
Apollo_gentile@reddit
Where is the actual tax hike proposed? All this shows is a headline but doesn’t actually discuss what’s being increased
dallasdude@reddit
ELI5 is 0.4176 not the current rate for 2023?
I am looking at Collin CAD and see this:
ALaccountant@reddit
Good question