Did McKinney's City Council Actually Raise My Property Tax Rate This Year, or Does the New Budget Keep It Flat?

Did McKinney's city council actually raise my property tax rate this year, or does the new budget keep it flat? The honest answer: the adopted rate and your actual tax bill are two different things, and in McKinney and across Collin County, a 'flat' rate can still mean a bigger bill.

Every August and September, city councils across Texas - including McKinney's - go through a legally required process of proposing, publicizing, and adopting a new property tax rate as part of the annual budget. Headlines tend to flatten this into a simple yes-or-no question: did they raise taxes or not? But the truth lives in the details of how the rate compares to the no-new-revenue rate, how much your home's appraised value changed, and which portion of your bill actually comes from the city versus the county, school district, and other taxing entities. A city council can technically adopt the exact same tax rate as last year and still collect significantly more in total revenue, simply because home values across McKinney rose. That's not a trick - it's just how the math works when rates are expressed per $100 of valuation rather than as a flat dollar amount. If you're a homeowner trying to figure out what this means for your specific bill, or a buyer trying to budget for a home in Stonebridge Ranch, Trinity Falls, or anywhere else in the city, you need to look past the 'did they raise it' headline and into the actual numbers. This post walks through what McKinney's council vote really tells you, where to verify the current adopted rate yourself, and why your bill can move even when the rate doesn't.

Rate vs. Bill: The Distinction That Trips Everyone Up

When people ask whether the city 'raised taxes,' they usually mean one of two very different things: did the tax rate (expressed per $100 of assessed value) go up, or did the actual dollar amount on their bill go up? These are not the same question, and McKinney's budget process can produce a 'yes' to one and a 'no' to the other.

A city council can adopt a lower rate than the previous year and still bring in more total tax revenue if home values in McKinney and the surrounding Collin County market have risen enough to offset the rate cut. Conversely, a flat rate on a home that gained value during the latest appraisal cycle means a bigger bill, even though the council technically didn't 'raise' anything on paper.

What the No-New-Revenue Rate Tells You

Texas truth-in-taxation law requires cities to calculate and publish something called the no-new-revenue rate - the rate that would bring in the same total revenue as the prior year, based on properties taxed in both years. If McKinney's adopted rate sits above that no-new-revenue number, the city is collecting more revenue than it did last year, regardless of how the rate compares numerically to the previous one.

This is the number worth comparing against the adopted rate, not last year's rate in isolation. It's published as part of the public notice process before any vote, so it's available before the council ever takes final action.

Where to Verify McKinney's Actual Adopted Rate

Don't rely on secondhand summaries or social media chatter to figure out what actually passed. You can confirm the current adopted rate, the no-new-revenue rate, and the voter-approval rate directly through:

• The City of McKinney's official budget and finance pages
• The Collin Central Appraisal District website, which also shows your individual property's appraised value history
• The Texas Comptroller's truth-in-taxation resources, which explain the terminology in plain language

Comparing your own property's appraisal notice against the adopted rate is the only way to know what your actual McKinney tax bill will look like this year.

Why Your Bill Can Rise Even on a Flat Rate

This is the part that catches homeowners off guard. If your home's appraised value climbed - which has been common across neighborhoods like Craig Ranch, Trinity Falls, and Stonebridge Ranch in recent years - a flat city tax rate still produces a higher dollar bill. The rate held steady; your valuation didn't.

It's also worth remembering that the city's rate is just one slice of your total property tax bill. McKinney ISD, Collin County, and any applicable special districts each set their own rates, and those combine with the city's rate to produce your total bill. A flat city rate doesn't mean a flat overall bill if other entities moved theirs.

What This Means If You're Buying, Selling, or Just Budgeting

If you're house hunting in McKinney right now, your lender's estimated monthly payment is based on current tax rates and the home's current appraised value - not necessarily what you'll owe once the home reassesses under your ownership. Building in some cushion for valuation changes is smart, especially in fast-growing pockets of the city.

If you're already a homeowner, this is also a good moment to make sure your homestead exemption is filed and current, since that's the main lever you control that softens the impact of both rate and valuation changes. And if you're approaching retirement age, it's worth keeping an eye on how proposed changes to the senior property tax freeze age could affect your long-term planning in Collin County.

FAQ: McKinney Property Tax Rate Questions

Is McKinney's city tax rate the same as my total property tax bill?

No. The city's rate is one component of your total bill, which also includes McKinney ISD, Collin County, and any special districts. Your total bill is the sum of all applicable rates applied to your home's appraised value.

How do I find out if my specific tax bill went up?

Compare your most recent appraisal notice from the Collin Central Appraisal District against the newly adopted rates from each taxing entity, including the city. The appraisal district's online portal shows your property's valuation history and exemption status.

Can my city tax bill go up even if the council didn't raise the rate?

Yes. If your home's appraised value increased, a flat or even slightly lower rate can still produce a higher dollar amount owed, since the rate is applied per $100 of value.

Want the Numbers for Your Specific Home?

Want a plain-English breakdown of what this budget vote means for your specific McKinney tax bill? Let's run the numbers together. Reach out to Jane Clark at Keller Williams McKinney, and let's look at your home's actual valuation and rate situation across McKinney and Collin County.