Reducing our I&S portion of the tax rate by 4 cents and increasing our M&O portion of the tax rate by 3 cents to reduce the overall property tax rate by 1 cent.

A message from Mayor Dylan Hedrick:

“This election is the result of public meetings, City Council discussions and community input about how Garland can continue providing the services residents value while lowering the overall tax rate.”

The Facts:

The City of Garland’s operating costs rise approximately 7% each year, but state law generally limits annual growth in the City’s operating property-tax revenue to 3.5% without voter approval.

If approved by voters, additional operating funding would help maintain existing services and add front-line staff, including 10 police officers, nine firefighters, eight 9-1-1 dispatchers and three animal-care technicians.

If approved by voters, additional operating funding would also support neighborhood revitalization projects, parks security, parks and landscaping maintenance, library resources and annual special events in addition to helping retain employees to sustain City services.

If approved by voters, the overall property tax rate would be about 1 cent lower than last year, approximately 9 cents lower than 2019 and the lowest rate it has been in nearly 20 years.

State law requires the ballot to say “THIS IS A TAX INCREASE” because the Legislature wants voters to approve increases in the operating budget of a City even if the overall tax rate is decreasing from the prior year.

2026 Garland Swap & Drop Election voting information:

Early Voting is October 19 – October 30
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3

We’re building out our website with more details about the election, including FAQs, polling information and a downloadable voter guide. Check back soon!