Budget Workshops and Hearings for Willow Park Citizens. Mark your calendars and make your voices heard.
- WPC Staff
- Jun 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 23
Summary: There are four important dates for all Willow Park Citizen calendars: • June 24, 2025, Tuesday, A city council budget workshop on all enterprise funds • July 8, A city council budget workshop on the general fund and I/S • August 26, Discussion and setting the date to conduct a public hearing on the tax rate • September 9, Public hearing about the budget; Public hearing on tax rate.
• Latest Update: posted 18 June 2025
• Tags: #Finance
• Note: Willow Park Civics is about Willow Park but is NOT associated with or managed by the City of Willow Park.
Budget Workshops and Hearings for Willow Park Citizens. Mark your calendars and make your voices heard.
There are four important dates for all Willow Park Citizen calendars:
• June 24, 2025, Tuesday — A city council budget workshop on all enterprise funds
• July 8, 2025, Tuesday — A city council budget workshop on the general fund and I/S
• August 26, 2025, Tuesday — Discussion and setting the date to conduct a public hearing on the tax rate
• September 9, 2025, Tuesday — Public hearing about the budget, followed by a council vote on it. Public hearing on tax rate
Come learn about how your elected officials are spending Willow Park Citizens' money.
Willow Park Sources and Resources
• 10 June 2025 Council Meeting, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 06 June 2025; Agenda Item 5. Discussion/Action: Budget Calendar for FY 2025-2026 Annual Budget #Finance
• Background:
Attached is the proposed budget calendar adoption of the FY 2025 – 2026 Budget.
Two important dates to keep in mind:
1. We will adopt the budget on September 9, 2025
2. We will hold a Budget & Tax Rate Public Hearing on August 26, 2025.
We will need 4/5 of the City Council members present to vote. The Mayor does not constitutue a quorum to meet this requirement. If there is a conflict on these dates, please let me know as soon as possible so we can change / move the dates.
Draft: CITY OF WILLOW PARK BUDGET CALENDAR
FISCAL YEAR 2025 - 2026
• JUNE 24--OR-- JULY 8: City Council Budget Workshop on all Enterprise Funds
• JULY 8—OR—JULY 22: City Council Budget Workshop on General Fund & I/S
• ON OR BEFORE JULY 25: FILE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH CITY SECRETARY
The proposed budget must contain a special cover page if the budget will raise more total property taxes than the previous year. The City Secretary must post the proposed budget on the City’s website.
Additionally, the proposed budget must include a line item comparing expenditures in the proposed budget and actual expenditures in the preceding year for: (1) notices required to be published in the newspaper; and (2) directly or indirectly influencing or attempting to influence the outcome of legislation or administrative action, as those terms are defined in Gov’t Code Section 305.002 (See Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code Section 140.0045).
• JULY 25: CAD DEADLINE TO PROVIDED CERTIFIED APPRAISAL TAX ROLL
This is an important date because it will give staff information from the CAD (Comptroller) to determine the M/O and I/S Tax Rates.
• AUGUST 26: DISCUSSION OF TAX RATE; COUNCIL HOLDS A RECORD VOTE ON APPROVING PROPOSED TAX RATE; SET DATE TO CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET AND TAX RATE FOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
• AUGUST 29: PUBLISH NOTICE OF BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING IN COMMUNITY NEWS FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 9; PUBLISH NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE IN THE COMMUNITY NEWS
The notice of budget public hearing may not be published earlier than the 30th day before the public hearing and not later than the 10th day before the budget hearing. The budget hearing notice must contain specific information about property tax increases per Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code Section 102.0065(d).
Post notice that the tax rate that will exceed the no-new-revenue rate continuously on the City’s website and publish in newspaper. The notice must be posted continuously on the City’s website for at least 7 days immediately before the public hearing on the proposed tax rate increase and the vote on the proposed tax rate. (Tax Code Section 26.065). The notice must contain the content required in Tax Code Sections 26.06(b-1), (b-2), and (b-3). The notice of tax rate hearing if the proposed tax rate will exceed the no-new-revenue rate, must be published at least 5 days before the public hearing on the tax rate.
• SEPTEMBER 9: COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET; FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING THE CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO ADOPT BUDGET; COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE; FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, COUNCIL VOTES TO ADOPT TAX RATE
The City Council must take a separate ratification vote to adopt any budget that will raise total property tax revenue. The budget must contain a special cover page in accordance with the requirements of LGC Section 102.007(d). The adopted budget, including the cover page, must be posted on the City’s website, along with an appendix that sets out the tax rate calculation forms used by the designated officer or employee to calculate the City’s no new revenue tax rate and the voter approval tax rate.
• Exhibits:
• City Council Briefing Sheet_Budget Calendar.pdf (0.05 MB)
• 2025 - 2026 Budget Calendar.pdf (0.01 MB)
• Willow Park Civics Research:
• Video about WP budget and tax rate, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 24 September 2022
The City of Willow Park has produced a video to explain the basics of the city budget and the city property tax rate. Three and a half minutes well-spent. Watch it on Youtube.
• 10 June 2025 Council Meeting Review by The Community News, 12 June 2025 Online Edition, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 18 June 2025
Budget calendar approved
During the meeting, the council also approved the timeline for the budget election as presented by city manager Bryan Grimes, with one addition of a special meeting to vote on the tax rate in accordance with state law.
Included in the timeline are two budget workshops that Young and Palmer encouraged residents to come to so they can be more educated and involved in the budgeting process, which would be a starting point for gauging interest for a financial oversight committee, which was another point of discussion Palmer brought up in her first speech.
“When I was knocking on doors people said, ‘We want to talk about the finances,’” she said. “I think they want to be involved, not necessarily oversight, but they want some involvement. So, I would like to see the same type of vehicle form and how we bring in the citizens to actually have a voice to do that.”
The key dates with the calendar are:
• June 24 — A city council budget workshop on all enterprise funds
• July 8 — A city council budget workshop on the general fund and I/S
• On or before July 25 — The budget must be filed with the city secretary
July 25 — Central Appraisal District’s deadline to provided certified appraisal tax roll
• August 26 — Discussion and setting the date to conduct a public hearing on the tax rate
• August 29 — Notice of public hearing posted in The Community News
• September 9 — Public hearing about the budget, followed by a council vote on it. Public hearing on tax rate
• September 10 — Council meeting to vote on tax rate
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