Coppell City Council approved the city’s 2023 legislative agenda priorities Dec. 13. The Legislature is set to convene Jan. 10, and the deadline to file bills will be March 10.
Priority legislation for Coppell is the passing of House Bill 640, which relates to municipal sales and use tax for street maintenance, according to a Dec. 13 presentation. The bill would permit all cities that use the municipal street sales tax to renew the tax for either eight or 10 years if the majority of voters voting in each of the last two consecutive elections approved its adoption or reauthorization.
The bill also affirms the use of the tax by allowing proceeds to be used for maintenance and repairs to streets, sidewalks and water infrastructure located directly beneath the roadway. Legislative Consultant Jennifer Rodriguez said the upcoming session will be the third time the bill has been brought to the Legislature.
Another priority for Coppell is the sourcing of sales tax. Multiple bills regarding origin versus destination sourcing are expected to be filed, Sales Tax Consultant John Kroll said. One of the bills filed, HB 432 would change the consummation of the sale statute and require that local sales taxes be sourced to the location in this state where the project was last started immediately prior to shipment or delivery to the purchaser.
Other priority items include hotel occupancy tax revenues for park improvements, property tax caps and support for the strengthening of the electric grid.
The last day of the regular session is May 29. The veto deadline will be June 18.
“This is one of the most important things that I think that we take on as a council, because it does set our future of where our city is going, and it allows us to interact with our legislators in Austin in a credible and very concrete way,” Coppell Mayor Wes Mays said. “I appreciate all the support that you’ve given in creating the priorities, and we look forward to a very exciting 140 days down in Austin.”
