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2026-031 - Ordering a Special Election on November 3, 2026, for the purpose of submitting a proposed tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval rate for the 2026 Tax YearRESOLUTION NO. 2026-031 A RESOLUTION • THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY • PARIS, TEXAS, ORDERING A SPECIAL • • • 3,2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF - •.••• * PROPOED TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE VOTER - APPROVAL TAX RATE • THE 2026 TAX YEAR. WHEREAS, on August 10, 2026, the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas ("City Council") approved Ordinance No. _adopting and levying the ad valorem taxes for the tax year 2026 at a rate of $0.572390 per $100 assessed valuation of all taxable property within the corporate limits of the City of Paris, Texas ("City"); and WHEREAS, for the 2026 tax year, the voter -approval tax rate, as defined in the Texas Tax Code, is $0.472068; and WHEREAS, the purpose for which the City Council adopted a tax rate exceeding the voter -approval tax rate is for the purpose of funding competitive pay for first responders and other city workers, stabilize the city's budget, and fund street repairs and preventative street maintenance WHEREAS, Texas Tax Code § 26.07 provides that if the City Council adopts a tax rate that exceeds the voter -approval tax rate, the registered voters of the City at an election held for that purpose must determine whether to approve the adopted Tax Rate and that the City Council shall order that the election be held in the City on the uniform election date prescribed by Texas Election Code § 41.001 that occurs in November of the applicable tax year; and WHEREAS, it is necessary that the City Council order a special election to be held on November 3, 2026, for the registered voters of the City to determine whether to approve the adopted tax rate for tax year 2026. NOW, •- BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS: SECTION 1. Eingiggl. The findings contained in the preamble of this resolution are determined to be true and correct and are hereby adopted as a part of this resolution. SECTION 2. Special Election Ordered. A special election is hereby ordered and shall be held in the City on November 3, 2026, for the purpose of submitting to the registered voters of the City the proposition provided herein. The special election shall be held in accordance with the Texas Election Code, the Statutes of the State of Texas, and the Charter and ordinances of the City of Paris and shall be in conformity with the procedures set forth herein. SECTION 3. Official Ballot -Proposition. The official ballot shall be prepared in accordance with state law to submit to the registered voters of the City a proposed tax rate that exceeds the voter -approval rate for the purpose of the purpose of funding competitive pay for first responders and other city workers, stabilize the city's budget, and fund street repairs and preventative street maintenance. The ballot shall be prepared to permit voting "FOR" or "AGAINST" the proposition, with the proposition expressed on the official ballot as follows: THIS IS A TAX INCREASE Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $0.572390 per $100 valuation in the City of Paris, Texas for the current year, a rate that is $0.100322 higher per $100 valuation than the voter -approval tax rate of the City of Paris, Texas, for the purpose of funding competitive pay for first responders and other city workers and stabilizing the city's budget. Last year, the ad valorem tax rate in the City of Paris, Texas was $0.472390 per $100 valuation. SECTION 4. Notice. The Mayor shall give notice of the special election by causing the notice to be published at least once not earlier than the 30th day or later than the 10th day before special election day as provided in § 4.003(a)(1) of the Texas Election Code, and the notice shall include the information required by Texas Election Code § 4.004. Notice shall also be posted on the City's website and on the bulletin boards used for posting notices of the meetings of the City Council not later than the 21 st day before election day. SECTION 5. Election Administration. The special election shall be administered by the Lamar County Elections Department pursuant to Joint Election Agreements. In compliance with Texas Election Code § 271.006, Tricia Johnson, Lamar County Elections Administrator, is hereby appointed election officer and clerk of early voting in Lamar County. SECTION 6. Polling Places. The location of each polling place on election day shall be stated in the notice provided under Section 4 of this Resolution. SECTION 7. Early Voting. The early voting polling places for conducting early voting by personal appearance for said election are set forth in Exhibit A. The early voting ballots for the special election will be processed by an early voting ballot board to be created in accordance with the Texas Election Code Chapter 87, as amended, and Joint Election Agreement. SECTION 8. Voting Hours; Period for Early Voti"_bV Personal Appearance. (a) On election day, the polls shall be open from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. (b) The dates and hours for early voting by personal appearance at the early voting polling places shall be as described in Exhibit A hereto. SECTION 9. Applications for Early Voting by Mail. For residents in Lamar County, an application for a ballot to be voted by mail shall be submitted by mail, carrier delivery, fax or email (scanned application containing an original signature) to: Tricia Johnson Early Voting Clerk Lamar County Services Building 231 Lamar Avenue Paris, Texas 75460 Fax: 903.782.1123 If an application for ballot by mail ("ABBM") is faxed or emailed or if a Federal Postcard Application ("FPCA") is faxed, the early voting clerk must receive the original ABBM or FPCA no later than the 4th business day after receiving the emailed or faxed ABBM or faxed FPCA. If such original ABBM or FPCA is not received by the early voting clerk by the deadline, the faxed or emailed ABBM or faxed FPCA will be considered incomplete, and the early voting clerk may NOT send the applicant a ballot. The requirement to mail the original application does not apply to an emailed FPCA. An ABBM must be received by Noon or close of business, whichever is later, on Friday, October 23, 2026. An FPCA must be received in accordance with Texas Election Code § 101.052. SECTION 10. Special Election Results. In accordance with Texas Tax Code § 26.07, if a majority of the votes cast in the special election favor the proposition, the tax rate for the tax year 2026 is the rate that was adopted by the City Council, and if the proposition is not approved, the tax rate will be the voter -approval tax rate. SECTION 11. Severability. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas, that the words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this resolution are severable, and if any word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this resolution shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs or sections of this resolution, the City Council hereby declaring that this resolution would have been enacted by the City Council without incorporation of any such invalid or unconstitutional word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 12. Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon passage. DULY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas, on the 10th day of August 2026. Whir Pankaj, Mayor ATTEST: 4 �J J n' e Ellis, City Clerk ''��Jflfl11111111\\ TROVED AS TO FORM: St a ie H. Narris, City Attorney wmmw Early voting by personal appearance shall be conducted by the Lamar County Elections Department. For City of Paris registered voters, early voting by personal appearance will be conducted at: Lamar County Services Building 231 Lamar Avenue Paris, Texas 75460 Early voting will be held during the following dates and hours: Monday — Friday, October 19, 2026, through October 23, 2026, 8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24, 2026, 7:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 2026, 9:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Monday — Friday, October 26, 2026, through October 30, 2026, 6.-00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.