The Commissioners Court approved a modified all-funds budget totaling $1.589 billion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30, 2027. The budget was reduced from an initial proposal of about $1.608 billion.

Commissioners also approved a county property tax rate of 24.865 cents per $100 of assessed value, a 3-2 vote supported by County Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners Theresa Daniel and Andrew Sommerman. Commissioners John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia voted against the rate and budget.

The adopted rate is higher than the county’s voter-approval tax rate of 22.465 cents per $100 of valuation. Because the adopted rate exceeds that threshold, commissioners ordered an election for Nov. 3, when voters will decide whether to approve the higher rate.

The tax increase is tied to a proposal to fund programs aimed at reducing homelessness and resolving encampments, improving neighborhood conditions, expanding access to mental health treatment and helping provide stable housing.

Under the county’s adopted tax-rate notice, the higher rate would increase the Dallas County portion of the annual property tax bill on a $350,000 home by about $116.03 compared with the prior rate. If voters reject the higher rate, the county would use the voter-approval rate instead.

The county’s prior tax rate was 21.55 cents per $100 of valuation. The adopted fiscal 2027 rate represents an increase of 3.315 cents per $100.

The homelessness proposal also would support outreach and housing services, as well as mental health treatment. The plan calls for a minimum five-year contract with Housing Forward to help allocate funding among housing and health care programs.

Dallas County held its public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2027 budget and tax rate Aug. 11 at the Records Building. The Commissioners Court then adopted the modified budget and tax rate.

The county’s online FY2027 adopted budget provides detailed information on spending, revenues, departments, capital projects, road and bridge funds, public safety, health and human services and other county operations.

The fiscal year begins Oct. 1, 2026, with the tax-rate election scheduled for Nov. 3.

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For the second consecutive year, no Garland ISD campus received an F rating, according to the district.

District officials attributed the gains to a continued focus on high-quality instruction, strong leadership and ensuring students have the opportunity to succeed.

Read the full story in the August 20th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

The Collin County Commissioners Court called the bond election Aug. 10 after weeks of discussion and consideration of funding options. The court unanimously selected the larger of two final bond program options for the November general election.

The six-year program, covering fiscal years 2027 through 2032, would divide the proposed investment among four propositions.

Read the full story in the August 20th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

The luncheon begins at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church’s Pondant Hall, 404 N. Ballard Ave.

Local author and historian Tracy Lawson will deliver the keynote address, “Using Family Lore, Letters, and Journals as the Basis for Historical Novels.”

Lawson, curator of the Brown House Welcome Center and public relations liaison for the Wylie Historical Society, is the author of 15 books, including four inspired by stories from her own family history.

Rather than focusing on a single book, Lawson said her presentation will feature three case studies showing how different family stories evolved into books. She will also offer tips for preserving family lore and using letters, journals and other personal records to share those stories with a wider audience.

Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of one of Lawson’s “Ladies of the Revolution” novels, courtesy of Frost Bank, the event’s literacy sponsor.

The program will also take attendees back to the 18th century through a presentation and demonstration of period fashions by Jen Thompson and Beth Klimek of the DFW Costumers Guild.

Guests are encouraged to participate in a patriotic outfit and hat contest. The luncheon will also include door prizes and a silent auction featuring items from local merchants.

Tickets are $50 for adults and $15 for children attending with a parent. Although children are welcome, organizers note the program is not designed for young children. Space is limited.

Proceeds benefit the Wylie Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The historical celebration will continue at 2 p.m. with a reception marking the placement of Wylie’s newest Texas Registered Historic Landmark plaque at 405 N. Ballard Ave.

The 1901 Queen Anne-style house is owned by Lawson and her family, who purchased it in October 2020. They are the 21st owners of the home since it was built.

“As soon as we moved in, we started talking about getting a historical marker for the house,” Lawson said. “We read that another family had tried in the past, so we assumed it would be difficult.”

Lawson said researching the house required considerable work, including several trips to the courthouse to establish its history.

“It did take a lot of work and several trips to the courthouse before we could document the house’s exact age and had a complete list of all the house’s owners and their importance to the community,” she said.

The public is invited to the 2 p.m. reception, which will include light refreshments and tours of the historic home.

The luncheon is part of the Wylie Historical Society’s observance of America’s 250th anniversary, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Tickets and additional information are available at wyliehistoricalsociety.org.

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Jacob Day, Place 6; Stacie Smith, Place 1; and Virdie Montgomery, Place 5, are seeking re-election.

Place 2 will be open after current trustee Mike Williams decided not to seek another term. Brett Fagan, Brandon Thomas and Sam Satterwhite are seeking the Place 2 seat.

Williams, who has served Wylie ISD for nearly 30 years as a teacher, coach, campus principal and trustee, reflected on his time with the district.

“During my almost 30 years of service to Wylie ISD as a teacher, coach and campus principal, and trustee, one thing really stands out: In all positions, we put all students and staff first in all decisions that were made,” Williams said. “Policy, budget, additional campuses, equity for all no matter what side of town you lived — and as a result, our students, staff and community have enjoyed great success academically, athletically, in the fine arts and career education.”

“Our students have been able to reach their potential and become contributors to our community and world,” he said.

Satterwhite previously served on the Wylie ISD board from 2006 to 2009.

The candidate filing period is underway and ends Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. Applications may be submitted Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wylie ISD Educational Service Center, 951 S. Ballard Ave., Wylie, or faxed to 972-941-6005, attention Krystal Smith.

 There is no filing fee.

Candidates for the Wylie ISD board must be at least 18 years old, registered voters and have lived in Texas for at least 12 months and within Wylie ISD for at least six months before the filing deadline. Candidates run for specific places on the seven-member board but represent the district at large.

Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 19-30, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.

The candidates are listed by the district in the order their applications were received. The Wylie News will feature profiles of the candidates in the coming weeks.

For more information about campaign finance reporting, contact the Texas Ethics Commission. 

Election information is available through the Texas Secretary of State, and additional information about school board service is available through the Texas Association of School Boards.

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Qualifying items can be purchased tax free from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. 

The three-day sales tax holiday begins Friday, Aug. 7, and runs through midnight Sunday, Aug. 9.

The comptroller’s office says the sales tax exemption applies only to qualifying items bought during the period. Items purchased before or after the sales tax holiday do not qualify for exemption, and there is no tax refund available.

The exemption applies to each eligible item sold for less than $100, and there is no limit to the number of qualifying items you can buy.

Computers, software and textbooks are not included. Jewelry, handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches and other accessories are also not exempt.

However, delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges by the seller are part of the item’s sales price. If the delivery charge is a flat rate per package, and the amount charged is the same regardless of how many items are included in the package, the total charge can be attributed to any one of the items in the package.

A complete list of school supplies covered by the tax holiday is available at: https://bit.ly/3RkCnpL.

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Train enthusiasts and families are invited to climb aboard for the return of Sachse Train Day, a free community event hosted by the Sachse Historical Society from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 25.

“This is our third year to host Train Day, and it is absolutely getting bigger each year,” said Tricia Lindsey, president of the Sachse Historical Society. “The LEGO layout is new… and everyone is excited to see what the North Texas Brick Society is going to create.”

This year’s event follows the same popular format as previous years, encouraging visitors to travel between four “depot” stops, collect stamps on a map and redeem a completed passport for a prize.

The new exhibit, located in the Sachse Library meeting room, joins returning attractions including model train displays, caboose tours and interactive activities at each location.

Aside from the meeting room, activities will take place at the Sachse Historical Society Museum, 3033 6th Street; the Sachse Community Center, 3815 Sachse Road and the historic caboose. 

Guests can enjoy N-scale model train displays presented by North Texas T-TRAK Modular Railroad Club, caboose tours and opportunities to build their own train mini modules while learning about the important role railroads played in Sachse’s history.

Choo Choo Express trackless train rides will once again be available for purchase on-site.

The Sachse Historical Society’s museum features railroad artifacts and exhibits highlighting the city’s heritage, while the historic caboose offers visitors a glimpse into early Sachse through a detailed diorama depicting the community during its railroad era.

“It’s easy to forget how transformative the railroad was to America,” Lindsey said. “It didn’t just move crops and products to market faster. The railroad gave people the freedom to travel, experience new places, and helped shape the growth of cities. I hope visitors can catch a glimpse of that as they explore the different depot stops.”

For more information, visit the Sachse Historical Society website or call 972-496-6577.

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The Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) program is a nationally recognized course that provides realistic, hands-on self-defense instruction for women of all fitness levels. According to organizers, the goal is to provide practical defense options participants can use in real-world situations.

The course consists of four three-hour sessions scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 14, 21 and 28 and Nov. 4 at 3815-D Sachse Road.

To register, participants must be Sachse residents and at least 16 years old. Space is limited.

For more information about the national R.A.D. program, visit rad-systems.com. To register for the Sachse course, visit cityofsachse.com/RADTraining.

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By Allison LaBrot | [email protected]

Wylie Acting Group (WAG), a nonprofit community theater organization, is gearing up for two weekends of performances of “Newsies.” The musical will be presented July 24-26 and July 31-Aug. 2 by a cast of 42 teenagers and a six-member crew. 

Co-directors Barb Holder and Melissa Johnson said many of the young cast and crew members have already gained experience through WAG or their schools. 

“Their passion and dedication shine in every performance,” the directors said. 

Read the full story in the July 23rd edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

By Allison LaBrot | [email protected]

The Wylie East Solar Car Team set out on a cross-Texas journey in their newly built vehicle Sunday, July 19, for the annual Solar Car Challenge. The five-day competition sent 24 high school teams on a cross-Texas journey of up to 619.8 miles from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton.

After winning the Advanced Classic division national championships the past two years, the Wylie East team built a new car, “East Beast 2.0,” from the ground up to comply with updated rules for the 2026 competition. 

Planning for the competition started 18 months ago, with construction beginning at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The team has worked continuously, spending two to three days a week on the car this summer and adding in extra workdays over the past month. 

Students contribute to every aspect of the project, from welding and fabrication to aerodynamics, electronics and other critical systems.

Ten of the team’s 16 members competed in this year’s Solar Car Challenge. 

While the 2025 event took place at Fort Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway, students from around the country will travel through several Texas cities this year. Team adviser Matthew Karlsen said there will be three days of tech inspection, called “scrutineering,” before the race. Each race day includes a route with two rest stops and a lunch break.

This year, the team faced challenges during their tech inspection. 

“After two days of repair for an incident that happened on day two of scrutineering, we are ready to start the race,” they relayed on social media,

“Teams can only drive from 9 to 5, so if you don’t get all the way, you must trailer to the destination,” Karlsen said. “Only the miles they drive in the solar car get counted towards their total.”

The winner is determined by total miles driven, with the fastest overall time serving as the tiebreaker. Solar cars are preceded on the road by a truck and trailer and followed by two chase cars with lights and large signs to alert other drivers of the car’s presence. The first chase car also transports a judge who keeps track of mileage and ensures rules of the road are followed. 

Preparation for the cross-Texas race differs from what is needed for the track event. 

“Drivers need to practice driving without cruise control to keep a steady foot, study driving hills and getting through multiple stops and starts without consuming precious energy,” Karlsen said. 

The competition began Sunday in Fort Worth and includes stops in Palestine, Round Rock, Fredericksburg, San Angelo before concluding in Fort Stockton. At each stop, community members can view the solar cars during public displays held from 4 to 9 p.m. For more information and race updates, follow the Solar Car Challenge or Wylie East Solar Car Team on Facebook. 

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