Flower Mound Online News

From the Dallas News:

All four quarter-cent sales tax increases were approved Tuesday. The police, fire and roads passed overwhelmingly and the parks increase looked like it might fail in early voting, but it rallied to a narrow passage.

The parks project encompasses three new parks, a tennis center, expanded trails and new safer playground equipment.

Town leaders anticipate the combined sales tax hikes would bring $6.4 million in new annual revenue.

For many years, Flower Mound has one of the area’s lowest sales tax rates. Now, Flower Mound joins most area cities charging 2 cents, the maximum allowed, on top of the state tax of 6.25 cents per dollar for a total of 8.25%.

Leaders want to plug needs by utilizing the growing retail base rather than touching the property tax rate.

Police officials plan to use the funds to hire 16 new patrol officers. The fire department proposed adding two fire stations. New roads funding would pay for the reconstruction of 13.5 miles of roadway.

For official election results, click here.

In Highland Village, a $5 million bond package passed easily. The money will build a new complex shared by the public works and parks departments and also retrofit the old fire station into an interim senior center.