Civic Insights with David Billings
It seems tax rates are a hot topic again and we all know why! The proposed Rockwall ISD property tax increase of 4 cents has sparked quite an interesting debate on social media. Go figure.
I’ve noticed that we don’t really have a single, reliable source of truth for local government data in Rockwall County. The Rockwall County 2050 Plan does address some of these issues, but that’s a topic for another day.
To bring some clarity, I looked up the local government property tax rates from publicly available information and converted them into cents (for example, $29.08 instead of $0.2908 for the City of Fate). The charts are shown in cents, except for Rockwall ISD which are in dollars, so don’t misunderstand the graphics
I created two separate charts: one for the cities and county, and another for Rockwall ISD. It made it easier to clearly display and compare the information.
Figure 1 Rockwall County Cities and County
Figure 1 shows the tax rate data for the past three years. I also have historical City of Fate tax rate data going back to 2011 if you’re interested
Let’s do a little statistical analysis to gain a better understanding of the data.
Figure 2 -Year-over-Year Percent Changes
Figure 2 has some interesting statistical insights
- Fate shows the largest year-to-year swing: down slightly in 2025, then up 12.2 % in 2026. This is due to the voter approved DPS bond.
- Rockwall decreased in 2025 (−8.4 %) but slightly increased in 2026.
- Heath remained flat in 2025, then lowered its rate in 2026.
- Rockwall County’s rate is the most stable, changing to less than 1.5 % year-to-year.
Conclusions
- The Rockwall county average tax rate stayed almost constant across the three years, moving only ± 0.4 ¢.
- Rate volatility (measured by std dev) decreased slightly from 2024 to 2025, suggesting modest convergence, before ticking back up in 2026 due to Fate’s rate increase.
- City of McLendon‑Chisholm consistently maintains the lowest tax rate roughly one-third of the other showing a smaller population.
Let’s jump the Rockwall ISD property tax rates.
Figure 3 Rockwall ISD Property Tax Rates
Here are some statistical insights
- The tax rate shows a slight upward trend over the three years.
- The average rate for this period is $1.04 per $100 of taxable value.
- The largest increase occurred between 2025 and 2026, up nearly 3.9%. This is the proposed VATRE to increase teachers pay, provide funding for Special Education, and keeping our kiddo’s safe.
- The rate volatility (standard deviation of 0.026) is low, indicating a gradual, predictable rise rather than sharp fluctuations.
James Madison, in Federalist No. 10 and No. 45, stressed that local governments would best understand local needs and priorities, echoing today’s debates about keeping property taxes under local control.
The Federalists would likely argue that Rockwall County’s approach locally set, predictable, and transparent tax rates absolutely fits our founding father’s intent.
Despite all the social media noise, our local governments have done a good job keeping property tax rates low and predictable. I understand we all want lower taxes, but Rockwall County already has some of the lowest rates in North Texas. The real question is how local governments will continue to fund essential services now that state and federal support is no longer available.
Remember, statewide PACs have their own agendas, and they don’t always have our community’s best interests in mind. It’s important to look at the full context before taking their recommendations at face value.
About the Author
David Billings, retired Mayor of Fate, has served the community for over a decade. A longtime business leader in the telecommunication industry, Navy veteran, and resident of Rockwall County, he brings both professional and civic experience to his writing on government, budgeting, and local economics. He is a graduate of Leadership Rockwall, North Texas Commission Leadership Program, active in several Rockwall County non-profits boards, and the American Legion.
He is passionate about civic involvement in local government, maintaining transparent governance and thoughtful strategic planning to preserve a bright future for the regions.
