Mesquite's city property tax rate will shrink for the first time in years after the City Council approved a Fiscal Year 2027 budget that cuts the rate to $0.654018 per $100 of taxable value — down 7.19% from FY 2026 and the lowest rate the city has set in a decade. The new budget, adopted at the council's Sept. 8 meeting, also adds two firefighters and a police criminal case specialist, while closing the North Branch Library.
A Rate Drop a Decade in the Making
According to the City of Mesquite, TX Government, the FY 2027 tax rate marks the lowest level since 2016. The city said the total rate fell by five cents, or 7.19%, from FY 2026.
Some of Mesquite's tax rate increases have been attributed to the Real Texas Roads bond project, which added 9.4 cents total to fund street rebuilding. That bond stemmed from a $125 million road-bond proposal Mesquite considered in October 2015, which CBS Texas reported was designed to fund street repairs. Mesquite's Fire Chief attributed Station 8 to a tax-rate election passed by residents in 2023.
Where the Money Goes
The approved FY 2027 general fund includes public-safety additions, including two new firefighter positions and a police criminal case specialist.
The budget includes $40 million in street and alley projects, and the city has specifically designated major reconstruction projects for La Prada Drive and Lawson Road, according to the City of Mesquite. The new firefighter roles arrive as the department continues expanding to serve growing areas; Mesquite broke ground on its first new fire station in over 30 years in the Trinity Pointe area in March 2025 to serve more than 4,000 planned residential units expanding into Kaufman County.
Library Closure Sparks Council Dissent
Not every part of the budget landed smoothly. The council voted to close the North Branch Library and fold its materials into the nearby Florence Recreation Center to create what the city is calling a community hub — a plan that passed over a dissenting vote from Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross, as reported by KERA News. The station's report frames the consolidation as a source of local community debate. The budget also includes a tax-rate cut and public-safety additions.
The city's ability to cut rates while still expanding services makes the FY 2027 rate reduction notable.
