Hello from Town Hall. Double Oak registered voters will elect a mayor and two council members in the upcoming May 2023 General Election.
Candidates for Double Oak Mayor are Patrick Johnson and Jean Hillyer. Voters will elect one of these candidates for a two-year term.
Candidates for Double Oak Town Council are Mike Gwartney, Ginger Brittain, Pat Wellen and Lisa Miller. Voters will elect two of these candidates for a two-year term.
Depending on where you live in town, Denton ISD and Lewisville ISD both serve our town and are holding their school board elections. Residents will cast votes in those respective elections, as well.
Double Oak Town Hall will be an early voting and election day polling site. More voting information can be found on the town website and at votedenton.gov.
The Double Oak candidate forum, sponsored by The Cross Timbers Gazette and moderated by Bob Weir will be held on Wednesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. at town hall. Residents are welcome to attend the forum in-person. The town will broadcast the candidate forum on the Town of Double Oak’s YouTube page and post the recording on the town website. Town Hall will open at 6 p.m. the night of the candidate forum for a meet & greet with the candidates.
Town’s 50th Anniversary Logo Contest
The town’s 50th Anniversary is coming up in 2024 and as part of the celebration the Anniversary Planning Committee is kicking off a logo design contest. The Double Oak 50th Anniversary logo design competition is meant to be a fun and community-minded activity open to all ages. We want to see the creativity of our citizens and how you would show what makes Double Oak a great place to live. To learn more about the Town’s 50th Anniversary, contest rules and how to submit your logo design, please visit the Town website, doubleoak.texas.gov.
DOWC Casino Night
Casino Night benefiting the Double Oak Women’s Club’s high school scholarship is back in 2023. Mark your calendars for April 15 at 7 p.m. at the Double Oak Fire Station. Tickets are $35 per person and if you would like to sponsor a table – it’s $150 (very limited number available) be sure to reach out to [email protected] for information.
Sales Tax, Property Tax and Exemptions
In 2016, Double Oak voters approved a sales tax election. Like other municipalities, Double Oak’s sales tax rate is 8.25 percent. The town keeps 2 percent sales tax revenue and the remaining 6.25 percent goes to the state. As sales tax revenue has increased, the town has been able to lower the town’s property tax rate. Double Oak’s property tax rate is $0.198067/$100 which is one of the overall lowest in Denton County.
Property tax in Texas is locally assessed and locally administered. Texas does not have a state property tax. Property tax brings in the most revenue to Double Oak and helps fund public safety departments, streets and drainage projects and town operations.
All real property and tangible personal property located in the state is taxable unless an exemption is required or permitted by the Texas Constitution. Texas provides for a variety of exemptions from property tax for property and property owners that qualify for exemptions.
Local taxing entities offer a variety of partial or total exemptions from property appraised values used to determine local property taxes. The state mandates that taxing entities provide certain mandatory exemptions and gives them the option to decide locally on whether to offer other exemptions.
Besides offering one of the lowest municipal property tax rates, the town also offers property tax homestead exemptions. Current local exemptions are 65+ years old and disabled person exemptions at an exemption amount of $50,000 each. In 2022, the town approved a property tax ceiling exemption.
The Texas Legislature is in session and are discussing more ways to provide property tax relief for Texans. They are talking about increasing the school districts homestead exemption and other property tax reductions to lower tax bills.
Another local property tax exemption the town can offer its citizens is known as a local Residence Homestead Exemption. At the town council meeting on April 3, there will be an agenda item to discuss a Local Double Oak Homestead Exemption. An example would be to adopt a local town exemption that reduces the taxable value by 1%; or $5,000 minimum. Calculated draft projections based on assumptions show the town would see an estimated property tax revenue loss of less than $15,000.
The town’s most recent fiscal year audit reflected a strong balance sheet and another sizable revenue surplus.
If a local homestead exemption is adopted by town council in April, it would go into effect on residents’ next property tax bills. This local homestead exemption would be in addition to other homestead exemptions property owners are eligible for and already have on file.
This local homestead exemption would be available to every Double Oak residential property owner who can claim a homestead exemption. Current records reflect around 1,234 total properties in the town. An estimated 1,200 properties are residential properties. Around 921 residential properties currently claim a homestead exemption.
Check the town website for more information on property taxes and homestead exemptions.
Happy Easter from the Town of Double Oak!
