Grapevine council places Crime Control and Prevention District tax extension on May ballot

The Grapevine City Council approved one election and canceled another during the March 3 meeting.

A 20-year extension of the Crime Control and Prevention District will be on the ballot for the May 2 election, but the general election for two council spots will be canceled.

However, the names of Chris Coy for Place 5 and Duff O’Dell for Place 6 will still be on the ballot, according to City Secretary Tara Brooks. Both will win re-election after running unopposed. Brooks said votes will not be able to be cast for either candidate in this election, even though their names will appear on the ballot.

The context

The city of Grapevine receives 2% of the state’s mandated 8.25% sales tax. Of that amount, 0.5% is allocated to the Crime Control and Prevention District, Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Strawn said during the Feb. 3 council meeting. The program focuses on crime prevention initiatives that engage and inform the community, according to the Grapevine Police Department.

The CCPD started in 2006 and was granted a five-year term, and it was extended in 2011 for 15 years, according to the presentation Feb. 3. The program is set to expire in May, and without an extension, the revenue from the sales tax would go into the general fund rather than the Crime Control and Prevention District, Strawn said Feb. 3.

Zooming in

The CCPD funds the police’s dispatch, criminal investigations division, uniform and jail operations, according to previous reporting. The expenses for the fiscal year 2025-26 budget total $25.97 million. In revenue, the district will receive approximately $23.21 million for FY 2025-26, resulting in a projected shortfall of $2.76 million.

Council members favored a 20-year extension, compared to the 15-year extension first discussed at the Feb. 3 meeting.

What else?

Early voting will run from April 20 to April 28 at the Grapevine Public Library. Election day will be May 2, with multiple voting locations according to Brooks.