Billings urges Fate voters to focus on taxes, accountability, transparency

A typical Rockwall County homestead would be taxed at about $1,070 under the county’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget, a figure that is lower than the $1,081 estimate under last year’s rate, but still comes with a bigger county levy overall. The county said its new budget will bring in $3,557,868 more in property-tax revenue than the prior year, a 6.31% increase, a reminder that even a lower tax rate can still produce a larger bill when property values and new construction grow.

That local pressure on household taxes is exactly where David Billings is aiming Fate voters. In an April 11 Rockwall Voices op-ed published by The Rockwall Times, Billings urged residents to focus on taxes, accountability and transparency as local elections approach. He framed the moment as coming after a long March primary season and pressed candidates and officials to work together after the votes are counted, rather than leaving neighbors divided over campaign loyalties.

Billings also pointed to the state tax changes already on the books. He said Texas has raised the school homestead exemption from $40,000 to $140,000, a change that affects the school-side share of a homeowner’s tax bill. He added that 1,160 Fate homeowners age 65 and older receive additional tax limitations that cap their property-tax burden. Texas voters will go back to the ballot in November 2026 to consider increasing the school homestead exemption again, this time to $180,000, which would further cut school property taxes for homeowners if approved.

The county budget records show why his call for scrutiny lands now. Rockwall County Commissioners Court adopted the FY2026 property tax rate of $0.2510 per $100 valuation by a 5-0 vote, down from $0.2547 the year before. That is a different tone from Fiscal Year 2025, when the court approved the prior rate on a 3-2 vote, showing that tax policy has been politically contested locally even when the final number moves lower. The county’s budget documents also say $1,857,542 of the new revenue comes from property added to the tax roll, underscoring how growth keeps changing the math for existing homeowners.

The election calendar adds another layer of urgency. The City of Rockwall has set its general and special election for Saturday, May 2, 2026, with three city council seats on the ballot. Rockwall County is helping administer that election with other local entities, a sign that voters across the county are entering a season when tax decisions, transparency, and who is actually making them will matter just as much as the campaign slogans.