There is hereby established the authority to levy and collect an annual ad valorem (property) tax not exceeding one and one-half percent (1-1/2%) on the one hundred dollar ($100.00) valuation of taxable property within the city.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 17(A); Ordinance adopting 1993 Code; 1993 Code, sec. 1.1201(a))
(a) 
In addition to the other penalties and interest authorized by law or levied under this article, a tax that remains delinquent on July 1 of the year in which it becomes delinquent incurs an additional penalty of twelve percent (12%) of the amount of taxes, penalty and interest due in order to defray costs of collection.
(b) 
The city may contract with a private attorney or law firm for collection pursuant to section 6.30(c) of the Texas Property Tax Code. In such instance, the additional fifteen percent (15%) penalty shall be paid to such private attorney or law firm in accordance with the terms of said contract.
(c) 
The tax assessor/collector of the city shall deliver a notice of delinquency and of the penalty imposed herein to the property owner at least thirty (30) and not more than sixty (60) days before July 1 of the year in which the tax becomes delinquent.
(Ordinance adopting 1993 Code; 1993 Code, sec. 1.1201(b))
(a) 
Definitions.
The terms “elderly,” “disabled” and “surviving spouse” shall be defined herein in accordance with article VIII, section 1-b, “Residence Homestead Exemption,” Texas Constitution.
(b) 
Residential homestead tax limitation.
(1) 
A person who is 65 years of age or older (elderly) shall receive a residential homestead exemption as prescribed or authorized by article VIII, section 1-b, subsection (h) of the Texas Constitution.
(2) 
The city may not increase the total amount of ad valorem taxes the city imposes on the residential homestead of a individual 65 years of age or older or disabled, above the amount of ad valorem taxes the city imposed on the residential homestead in the first tax year when the city established the exemption for an individual who qualified the residential homestead for an exemption as provided in section 11.13(c), Texas Tax Code, for a disabled individual, [or] an individual 65 years of age or older.
(c) 
Improvements to residential homestead.
If an individual makes improvements to the residential homestead other than repairs or other than improvements required to comply with governmental standards, the city may increase the amount of taxes on the residential homestead in the first year the value of the homestead is increased on the appraisal roll because of the enhancement of the value caused by the improvements. The amount of the tax increase is determined by applying the current tax rate to the difference between the appraised value of the homestead with the improvements and the appraised value it would have had without the improvements.
(d) 
Expiration.
The limitation on a city ad valorem tax increase as provided by this section expires on January 1 of a year where:
(1) 
None of the owners of the structure qualifying for the exemptions provided in section 11.13(c) Texas Tax Code for a disabled individual or an individual 65 years of age or older, who own the structure when the limitation provided by this section first takes effect, are using this structure as a residential homestead; or
(2) 
None of the owners of the structure qualifies for the exemption provided by section 11.13(c) Texas Tax Code for disabled individual or an individual 65 years of age or older.
(e) 
Exemption extended to surviving spouses.
If an individual who qualifies for a limitation on municipal ad valorem tax increase under this section dies, the surviving spouse of the individual is entitled to the limitation on taxes imposed by the city on the residential homestead of the individual if the surviving spouse is disabled or is 55 years of age or older when the individual dies and the residential homestead of the individual is the residential homestead of the surviving spouse on the date the individual dies and remains the residential homestead of the surviving spouse.
(f) 
Not revocable.
The city council may not repeal or rescind the tax limitation established by this section.
(Ordinance 519-04 adopted 5/18/04)
(a) 
Exemption.
An individual who is disabled or is 65 years of age or older, and is an individual other than one whose ad valorem tax amount was fixed in the first year (2004 tax year) the city established a tax limitation, pursuant to Ordinance 519-04 [section 11.02.003], is hereby granted an exemption of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) from the determination of fair market value of their residential homestead for purposes of assessing the ad valorem tax rate of the city. The fair market value is the value established by the Parker County Appraisal District as of January 1, 2005.
(b) 
Definitions.
The terms “elderly” and “disabled” shall be defined herein in accordance with article VIII, section 1-b, “Residence Homestead Exemption,” Texas Constitution.
(Ordinance 537-05 adopted 6/21/05)