August 18, 2025 Newsletter

Home ============ Teachers' Salaries ============ Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD Lawsuit ============== Taxpayers' Funds at Risk ============ Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers ============ August 18, 2025 Newsletter ============= Arlington City CouncilGrades ============= AISD Board Grades ================ August 11, 2025 Newsletter ============ August 4, 2025 Newsletter =========== July 28, 2025 Newsletter ============ July 21, 2025 Newsletter ============ ================ Jim Ross, Mayor ============= Mauricio Galante, District1 ============= Raul Gonzalez, District2 ============= Nikkie Hunter, District3 ============= Andrew Piel, District4 ============= Rebecca Boxall, District5 ============= Long Pham, District6 ============= Bowie Hogg, District7 ============== Barbara Odom-Wesley, District8 ============= Sarah McMurrough, AISDPlace1 ============= Melody Fowler, AISDPlace2 ============= Larry Mike, AISDPlace3 ============= David Wilbanks, AISDPlace4 ========== Justin Chapa, AISDPlace5 ============= Brooklyn Richardson, AISDPlace6 ============= Leanne Haynes, AISDPlace7 ============= Fact Sheet - November 8, 2022 Election ============ ++++++++++++ ============= Kennedale Observer Homepage =========== Kennedale Senior Tax Freeze ============== Kennedale City CouncilGrades ========== Texas Open Meetings Act Violations??? ============== The Bridge ============== Kennedale Observer - Latest Newsletter ============ Prior to That Newsletter ================ Brad Horton, Kennedale Mayor ============ David Glover, Kennedale Place 1 ============= Thelma Kobeck, Kennedale Place 2 =========== Ken Michels, Kennedale Place 3 ==============P3 Chris Gary, Kennedale Place 4 =========== Jeff Nevarez, Kennedale Place 5 ============ Kennedale City Council Compare ========== 1083 Bowman Springs Road Kennedale ============ What to Know About the Texas Raceway Project ================ Kennedale EDC MMA contract information ==============

August 18, 2025 – Volume 19 Number 33

Highlights:

* There are several opportunities for citizens to react to the city manager’s proposed 3-cent hike to the property tax rate.

* EDC to meet Tuesday; agenda mostly approves updates to the e-space deal.

* P&Z has only an airport hotel SUP case to hear.

Teachers' Salaries

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_97.html

Taxpayers' Funds at Risk:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_83.html

City Council grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_39.html

AISD Board grades:

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_1.html

Citizens Defending Freedom vs. AISD

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/rich_text_14.html

Open Letter to AISD Taxpayers

http://arlspectator.mysite.com/blank_11.html

Arlington is a city where citizens are relegated to being spectators, rather than players on the field. The SPECTATOR helps citizens know what is happening on the field. Only a few of the in-house team members are allowed to play ball in Arlington. The SPECTATOR helps citizens understand the game.

GAME SCHEDULE:

Monday, August 18: Comprehensive Plan Board Game, Southwest Library, 3311 SW Green Oaks Boulevard, 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Tuesday, August 19: Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board meeting, 3^rd Floor, City Hall, 101 W. Abram Street, 4:00pm.

Tuesday, August 19: Mayor's Town Hall, Texas Rangers Golf Club, 701 Brown Boulevard, 6:00pm.

Wednesday, August 20: P&Z meeting, 101 W. Abram Street, 5:30pm. (Work session at 4:30pm.)

Thursday, August 21: Budget Town Hall meeting, City Council Chambers, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:00pm.

Thursday, August 21: AISD Board meeting, AISD Administration Building, 690 E. Lamar Boulevard, 6:30pm. (You must be signed up online by 3:00pm if you wish to speak.)

Monday, August 25: Comprehensive Plan Board Game, Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Tuesday, August 26: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Wednesday, August 27: Comprehensive Plan Board Game, Texas Rangers Golf Club, 2800 S. Center Street, 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Monday, September 1: Labor Day Holiday

Tuesday, September 2: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

Tuesday, September 9: Budget/Tax Rate Public Hearings.

Tuesday, September 23: City Council meetings, 101 W. Abram Street, 6:30pm. (You must preregister by 5:00pm to speak during citizen participation.)

From THE LOCKER ROOM

Arlington City Council Update

The city council met this past Tuesday, August 12. All council members were present. They approved the public hearing tax rate (with a 3-cent tax rate increase). As several council members pointed out, by setting that amount, they still could approve a lower tax rate, or at that amount, but cannot approve a tax rate that is higher. [My opinion: you will not see the tax rate lower; none of the council members appear to be fighting very hard to cut anything, which is what it would take to lower the tax rate.]

Last Week's Meeting

All council members were present. The meeting may be viewed at: https://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=5214 .

(3:41) Start of the meeting. The one work session agenda item was the FY2026 Budget.

The city manager mentioned at about 9:13 that this past week we will be finished with paying the Cowboy Stadium bonds. Susan Schrock of the City's Office of Communications posted an article at: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/News-Articles/2025/August/Touchdown-City-of-Arlington-Pays-Off-ATT-Stadium-Debt-10-Years-Early . James Hartley of KERA.org news and the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report has an article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/08/12/arlington-set-to-pay-off-att-stadium-construction-debt-friday-about-a-decade-ahead-of-schedule .

(1:17:26) The three resolutions:

1. Called for a proposed tax rate ($0.6298) public hearing on Tuesday, September 9 (staff report). Portion item A passed, 9-0. Portion item B passed, 8-1, with Piel in opposition.

2. Called for an operating budget public hearing on Tuesday, September 9 (staff report). It was approved, 9-0.

3. Relocation assistance policy (staff report). This is regarding displacement of citizens. It was approved, 9-0.

(1:20:26) The ordinance was for the approval of the appointment of Municipal Court Part-time Associate Judges (staff report). It was approved, 9-0.

(1:21:14) Citizen participation saw no speakers.

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

The EDC Board will hold its monthly meeting this Tuesday, August 19 at 4:00pm. The full packet for the meeting may be found at: https://arlingtontxedc.com/assets/main/agendas/august-19,-2025.pdf . The agenda includes two sets of minutes (July 15 , August 6), standing reports (financials , industry snapshots , real estate), open session (with nothing listed), executive director's report, an executive session, and five action items.

The five action items are (staff report):

1. a development agreement and related subleases with e-space Inc. and the City of Arlington, relative to the establishment of a North American headquarters and manufacturing facility at the Arlington Municipal Airport (resolution)

2. contract amendment No. 2 to the Construction Manager-at-Risk contract for the e-space North American Headquarters and Manufacturing Facility at Arlington Municipal Airport establishing the guaranteed maximum price of $13,393,013 for the initial civil enabling package (resolution).

3. the second modification of the professional service contract for the e-space Project Manager with Hill Building Group, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $700,000 (resolution).

4. the third modification of the professional service contract for the e-space Architect with M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $436,760 for architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural services for the E-Space project (resolution).

5. to allow the a 380-agreement with The City relative to water and sewer facilities at the e-pace Project site (resolution).

Upcoming Public Hearings

On Wednesday, August 20, P&Z will hold a public hearing on SUP25-3 at 4560 Waxwing Drive. They wish for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for an Upscale Hotel, with a Development Plan on 2.033 acres zoned Airport Overlay (APO)-Community Commercial (CC). If approved by P&Z this will go to the city council on September 16.

On Tuesday, August 26, P&Z will hold a public hearing on SUP25-5 at 2306 Park Run Drive. They wish for a specific use permit to allow a secondary living unit.

On Tuesday, August 26, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-40 for a planned development for a portion of Lincoln Square.

On Tuesday, August 26, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD24-40-ASP for an alternate sign plan for Lincoln Square.

On Tuesday, August 26, the city council will hold a public hearing on a permit to drill gas wells at 3031 E. Arkansas Lane.

On Tuesday, August 26, the city council will hold a public hearing on PD25-9 at 1401 S. Watson Road. They wish for a planned development on the 6.112 acres for RMF-22 (apartments). It is currently zoned commercial.

On Wednesday, September 3, P&Z will hold a public hearing on PD25-12 at 700-odd Dugan Street/302 Weeks Avenue/ 700 South Street. They wish to update/change their planned development on the 1.605 acres.

P&Z Commission

P&Z will meet this Wednesday, August 20. There is one public hearing on their agenda. The agenda can be viewed at: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/planning-and-development-services/documents/planning-amp-development-boards-amp-commissions/planning-and-zoning-commission/posted-agenda/pz-regular-session-agenda-08-20-2025.pdf .

There is only one public hearing. It is for case SUP25-3 for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for an Upscale Hotel on property zoned Airport Overlay Community Commercial (APO-CC), on approximately 2.033 acres (staff report).

AISD School Board

The AISD School Board will meet this Thursday, August 21. The agenda should be posted on Monday.

The release of the new Accountability numbers for 2024 and 2025 became public this past Friday, August 15, and according to the radio report AISD is challenging some of the numbers. KRLD news has a report at: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/krld-news-2c1b2/episodes/arlington-isd-superintendent-matt-smith-talks-about-appealing-staar-results-718dd . The AISD article on the new numbers: https://www.aisd.net/district-news/accountability-update-arlington-isd-doubles-a-rated-campuses-and-reduces-f-ratings/ .

On Wednesday, AISD's new $62 million junior high, Joey Rodriguez Junior High opened. Chris Moss of the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report has an article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/08/13/arlington-isd-opens-62m-joey-rodriguez-junior-high-for-its-first-day-of-school/ .

At the State of the District Meeting, the superintendent and district stated that they expect improvements on the scores (as evident by the one graph). Chris Moss of the Arlington Report/Fort Worth Report has an article at: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/08/12/arlington-isd-expects-improvements-in-texas-accountability-school-ratings/ .

The AISD announced its new cell phone policy. Channel 8 (WFAA) ran a story at: https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/local/arlington-isd-announces-away-for-the-day-policy/287-c2535d0f-aa1e-426b-bf51-d9885b5287a0 .

The AISD post about the teacher raises: https://www.aisd.net/district/departments/human-resources/compensation-benefits-and-risk-management/board-approves-staff-raises/ .

TEA Accountability Data:

In 2020, the AISD was tied for the highest M&O rate of all the school districts in Tarrant County. Since then, there has been NO tie. The AISD HAS the highest M&O rate in Tarrant County. [school district tax rates]

Top 5 of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs M&O Rates

1. Arlington ISD $0.812800

2. Birdville ISD $0.786900

2. Fort Worth ISD $0.786900

2. Godley ISD $0.786900

2. Mansfield ISD $0.786900

Of Tarrant County's 21 ISDs - Lowest Tax Rates [The rest are above $1.1300]

1. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD $0.923300

2. Carroll ISD $0.961700

3. HEB ISD $0.968900

4. Fort Worth ISD $1.062400

5. Keller ISD $1.085200