Twice weekly watering begins June 1

Beginning June 1, Plano residents can operate sprinklers twice weekly as we step back to Stage 2 water conservation measures. The Stage 2 watering schedule allows odd addresses to water on Tuesday and Friday; while even addresses water on Monday and Thursday. Even with the loosening of the schedule, watering is still not allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. During the weeks we have rain, please turn off your sprinkler system. Foundations, new landscaping, first year plantings of shrubs and trees may be watered within a 10-feet radius of their trunk for up to two hours any day by a hand-held hose, a soaker hose or a dedicated zone using a low-flow irrigation system. Watering twice a week is optional, and you can choose to stick to once-a-week watering. The city offers a variety of free classes to help you conserve water year round. Thank you for cooperating in the City of Plano’s ongoing effort to conserve water. For more information, visit www.plano.gov/water.

Mayor’s Message – Residents responsible for investing in Plano

Managing the budget of a city the size of Plano can sometimes be an overwhelming task, regardless of the economic climate. In this article I’ll just skim the surface of how our city receives money for day-to-day operations. The two main sources of city revenue are ad valorem property tax and sales tax.

The city’s general fund is where ad valorem tax payments are collected and where the majority of the city’s operating funds are kept. Ad valorem tax is based on the assessed value of real property, such as a home, land or building. If you own property in Plano, you pay a current tax rate of $0.4886 per $100 valuation for your property. It is one of the lowest tax rates in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The city of Plano also offers a homestead exemption of 20 percent, which can actually lower your tax rate to 0.3908.

This is the third article in a series that expands on how local government in Plano works. Read More

Breathe Easier with Air Quality Index Alerts

As we head into summer, the ozone levels’ impact on air quality becomes a bigger concern, particularly for children, older adults and people with lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. Fortunately through our regional partnership with Air North Texas, we have access to a website, www.airnorthtexas.org, which offers tips on how we can alter our behavior on bad ozone days. Here you can also sign up for email alerts, so you’ll be prepared when the Air Quality Index dips into the orange, red or purple levels.