Like many other cities—including Fort Worth, Trophy Club and Southlake—Keller funds a crime control and prevention district via a quarter-cent sales tax. Back in 2001, residents first passed the sales tax to build Phase 1 of the police department’s facility, according to a Keller press release.
Five years after that, Keller voters approved a 15-year continuation of the tax that went toward Phase 2 construction, which included the regional animal adoption center, Keller Regional Detention Center, accreditation programs and a replacement fund for capital maintenance.
In general, the tax funds Keller Police Department projects, vehicles, technology, uniforms, training and equipment, the release stated. If renewed, the sales tax is expected to raise $1.71 million for the next fiscal year. To put that in context, in order to raise the same amount from property taxes alone, the city would have to increase the tax rate by around $0.028.
Rachel Reynolds, city of Keller communication and public engagement manager, noted that renewing the sales tax does not equal a tax increase for residents since it’s already in existence.
“This assures that we allocate a portion of our sales tax dollars toward one of the government's core functions, which is to ensure public safety,” Keller Mayor Armin Mizani said.
According to the city’s Oct. 8 newsletter, between 2001 and 2020, Keller’s population grew by 62%. But during the same period, the city’s crime rate dropped by 60%. Mizani also noted that Keller has remained one of the safest cities in the state and country for its size. He said much of that is because of the crime control and prevention district’s dedicated fund.
“My hope is that residents see the value in putting it up for another 15 years,” Mizani said. “I'm strongly in support of it and would encourage our residents to support it.”
