Agenda PacketCITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Paris shall meet in special session
at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Immediately following the special session, City
Council will conduct a workshop. The meeting & workshop will be held at the City Council
Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman Street, Paris, Texas. One or all Council Members may be attending
remotely by audio and/or video conference, but the feed will be available to the public during
the meeting.
1. Call the meeting to order
2. Citizens' forum.
(Persons desiring to address the Council must limit their presentation to no more than two
minutes, and remarks must be limited to matters of city business. Speakers will not be
allowed to cede speaking time to others. Unless an item is posted on the Agenda, the Texas
Open Meetings Act prohibits the Council from responding to any comments other than to
refer the matter to a future agenda, to an existing policy, or to a staff person with specific
factual information. Claims against the City, Council Members, or employees, including
but not limited to claims in pending litigation, as well as individual personal appeals are
not appropriate for citizens' forum.)
If necessary, the City Council may convene into Executive Session under Chapter 551 of
the Texas Government Code regarding any item on this agenda.
3. Discuss and ratify the property tax increase reflected in the budget as required by Chapter 26
of the Texas Tax Code.
4. Discuss and act on an Ordinance fixing the tax rate and the tax levy and levying ad valorem
taxes for the City of Paris for the year 2025 upon all taxable property within the City of Paris
in conformity with the Charter provisions and Ordinances of the City.
5. Adjournment.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
Pursuant to the Policy Procedures and Decorum for Public Meetings approved by City
Council on May 12, 2025, workshop meetings are informational only and there will be no
Citizens' Forum item on the agenda for workshops. Workshops are open meetings and
persons may attend to observe only.
The matters to be discussed are as follows:
1. Call meeting to order.
2. Discuss the HOT tax agreement between the City of Paris and Lamar County Chamber of
Commerce.
3. Discuss the Paul Stoll petition for a comprehensive plan amendment and the petition for a
zoning amendment.
4. Adjournment.
Certification
I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the bulletin board in the City Hall Annex, 150 First
St. SE, Paris, Texas and on the City's website at www.paristexas.gov, no later than 5:30 p.m. on September
2, 2025.
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
S )ecial Accommodations
This facility is wheelchair accessible and accessible parking spaces are available. Requests for special
accommodations or interpretive services must be made forty-eight (48) hours prior to this meeting. Please
contact Janice Ellis at (903) 784-9248 or jellis@paristexas.gov for assistance.
Item No. 3
memorandum
TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro -Tem, & City Council
Rose Beverly, City Manager
FROM: Gene Anderson, Finance Director
SUBJECT: RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IN THE 2025-26 BUDGET
DATE: September 9, 2025
BACKGROUND: Under Local Government Code Section 102.007 (c), the City Council is
required to take a separate vote to ratify any property tax increase reflected in the 2025-26 Budget.
This vote is in addition to the vote required to adopt the budget and the vote to adopt the tax rate.
STATUS OF ISSUE: City staff has placed this matter on the agenda, as it must be approved prior
to voting on the tax rate. The 2025-26 Budget will raise $1,227,365 more in property tax revenue
than last year. $140,566 of this amount comes from property taxes on new property that was not
on the tax roll last year.
BUDGET: N/A
RECOMMENDATION: Motion to ratify the property tax increase reflected in the 2025-26
Budget.
Item No. 4
memorandum
TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro -Tem & City Council
Rose Beverely, City Manager
FROM: Gene Anderson. Interim Finance Director
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AND TAX LEVY
DATE: September 9, 2025
BACKGROUND: Each year the City Council must adopt a property tax rate sufficient to fund the
city budget as adopted by the Council. The ordinance setting the tax rate also indicates the amounts
of budget appropriations resulting from levying the adopted property tax rate.
At the proposed tax rate, the average residential homestead valued at $161,132.00 will pay $761.17
in city property taxes.
STATUS OF ISSUE: The City Council, having adopted the 2025-26 City budget, must now adopt
a property tax rate of .47239 per $100 of valuation (0.30773 O&M rate and 0.16466 I&S rate).
This rate should produce $9,030,000 for the General Fund and $4,418,034 for the Interest &
Sinking Funds from which debt payments are made.
BUDGET: N/A
RECOMMENDATION: Motion to approve an ordinance fixing the property tax rate, property tax
levy, and levying the ad valorem taxes for the City of Paris for fiscal year 2025-26. The wording
of the motion is dictated by the State Property Tax Code Section 26.05(b) and is shown below.
"I move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $0.47239, which is
effectively a 10.62 percent increase in the tax rate."
Tax Code Sec. 26.05(b) further requires that the ordinance must be passed in a record (roll call)
vote.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS,
FIXING THE TAX RATE AND THE TAX LEVY AND LEVYING AD VALOREM
TAXES FOR THE CITY OF PARIS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 UPON
ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF PARIS IN CONFORMITY
WITH THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY;
MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE
SUBJECT; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN
CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the Lamar County Appraisal District, as authorized by the laws of the State
of Texas, has fixed the value of all property situated within the corporate limits of the City of
Paris, Texas and subject to ad valorem taxes for the year 2025, such total valuation being the
sum of $2,976,780,992; and,
WHEREAS, in accordance with provisions of ordinances passed by the City Council of
the City of Paris, property owners over the age of sixty-five (65) and disabled Veterans have
filed exemptions; other adjustments for tax abatements have been approved; and other
exemptions are authorized under state law, thereby reducing the total valuation subject to ad
valorem taxes; and,
WHEREAS, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the City of Paris, Texas,
the City Manager has heretofore submitted to the City Council a proposed budget of the
revenues of the City and the expenditures for the conduct of the affairs thereof, providing a
complete financial plan for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2025, and ending September
30, 2026; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council has heretofore by ordinance adopted the budget
appropriating from ad valorem taxes the following sums, to -wit:
General Fund $9,030,000.00
Debt Service Fund $4,418,034.00; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BYTHE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS,
PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this ordinance are hereby in all
things approved and incorporated herein for all purposes.
Section 2. That there shall be and is hereby levied for the year 2025 and ordered to be
collected, a tax of $0.47239 on each and every ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) of the
assessed valuation of all property of every description subject to taxation within the corporate
limits of the City of Paris, and that said tax so levied shall be distributed and apportioned as
follows:
CURRENT EXPENSES:
For the payment of CURRENT EXPENSES of the City
Government of the City of Paris, on each and every
One Hundred Dollars worth of property situated
within the corporate limits of City of Paris and
subject to taxation a tax of $0.30773
(of which $0.00085 will be for the operation of the
Paris Municipal Band)
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund for General
Obligation Bonds Series 2017, on each and every One
Hundred Dollars' worth of property situated within the
Corporate limits of the City of Paris and subject to
taxation, a tax of $0.02369
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund
for Tax Notes 2020 on each and every One Hundred Dollars'
worth of property situated within the corporate limits of Paris
and subject to taxation, a tax of $0.00734
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund for
General Obligation Refunding Bonds Series 2020
on each and every One Hundred Dollars' worth
of property situated within the corporate limits of
Paris and subject to taxation, a tax of $0.00769
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund for
Certificates of Obligation Series 2021 on each and
Every One Hundred Dollars' worth of property situated
Within the corporate limits of Paris and subject to
Taxation, a tax of $0.02769
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund for
General Obligation Refunding Bonds Series 2023
on each and every One Hundred Dollars' worth
of property situated within the corporate limits of
Paris and subject to taxation, a tax of $0.07602
For paying interest and creating a sinking fund
for Tax Notes 2022 on each and every One Hundred Dollars'
worth of property situated within the corporate limits of Paris
and subject to taxation, a tax of $0.02223
Total Debt Rate $ 0.16466
TOTAL TAX RATE $0.47239
Section 3. THIS TAX RATE WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE
AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE. THE TAX RATE WILL
EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY 6.44 PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY
$18.63.
Section 4. That the City Tax Assessor and Collector of the City of Paris is hereby
directed to assess, extend, and enter upon the rolls of the City of Paris, Texas, for the current
taxable year, the amount and rates herein levied and shall be collected as provided by the
ordinances and the Charter of the City of Paris, Texas, and the laws of the State of Texas; and
when so collected, same shall be distributed in accordance with ordinance.
Section S. That all provisions of the ordinances of the City of Paris, Texas in conflict
with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed, and all other provisions of the
ordinances of the City of Paris not in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance shall remain
in full force and effect.
Section 6. That the repeal of any ordinance or part of ordinances affected by the
enactment of this ordinance shall not be construed as abandoning any action now pending
under or by virtue of such ordinance or as discontinuing, abating, modifying, or altering any
penalty accruing or to accrue, or as affecting any rights of the municipality under any section
or provisions of any ordinance at the time of passage of this ordinance.
Section 7. That it is the intention of the City Council of the City of Paris that this
ordinance, and every provision hereof, shall be considered severable, and the invalidity or
partial invalidity of any section, clause, or provisions of this ordinance shall not affect the
validity of any other portion of this ordinance.
Section 8. That this ordinance shall become effective from and after its passage and
publication as required by law.
READ, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL at a special meeting duly
called and held at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman in the City of Paris on this the 9th
day of September 2025 in a record vote as follows:
FOR AGAINST
Mayor Mihir "Mark" Pankaj, District 4
Mayor Pro -Tem Gary Savage, District 3
Shatara Moore, District 1
Alix Putnam, District 6
Rebecca Norment, District 5
Mickey Ellis, District 2
Tracy Attebury, District 7
Mihir Pankaj, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney