If you own a home in Dallas County, your Dallas County property tax bill is about to hit the ballot. On November 3, 2026, voters decide on Proposition A, a county tax-rate measure that could change the county portion of what you owe.
We wrote this guide to show you the real dollar impact of a YES vote versus a NO vote. Whatever voters decide, you can still take steps to lower what you pay.
TL;DR
Proposition A asks Dallas County voters on November 3, 2026, to approve a county tax rate of $0.248650 per $100 of value.
A NO vote does not keep taxes flat, because the county rate still rises to the voter-approval rate of $0.224650.
If it passes, the county portion of the median homestead bill would rise from $558.97 in 2025 to $666.52.
The gap between a YES and a NO is about $24 per $100,000 of taxable value.
Proposition A sets the rate, not your home's value, so you still lower the base with exemptions and a property tax protest.
What Is Dallas County's Proposition A?
Proposition A is a Dallas County tax-rate election on November 3, 2026. If voters approve it, the county property tax rate would rise to $0.248650 per $100 of taxable value. The measure changes only the county portion of your bill, not your home's value.
There is an election because the Dallas County Commissioners Court adopted a rate higher than the limit state law allows without voter sign-off.
When a county exceeds that limit, Texas law requires a public vote. That is why the choice lands with you at the ballot box rather than with the commissioners alone.
The commissioners put the measure on the ballot with a 3-2 vote on August 11, 2026. So the final county rate stays unsettled until the results are in.
The county estimates the 2.4-cent increase would raise about $102.9 million from the tax-rate election. Those funds would go to homelessness-reduction, encampment, mental-health, and stable-housing programs, with services expected to start January 1, 2027.
You can vote before then. In Dallas County, early voting runs October 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open 7 AM-7 PM.
The Three Tax Rates on the Ballot, Explained
Three rates appear in the county's notices and in news coverage. Here is what each one means in plain terms.
The no-new-revenue rate would raise about the same total revenue as last year from the same properties.
The voter-approval rate is the highest rate the county can adopt without voter approval.
The adopted rate is the higher rate the commissioners want, which needs voter approval to take effect.
The county lists these three numbers side by side. The table below pairs each rate with a one-line meaning.
Rate | Amount per $100 | What it means |
|---|---|---|
No-new-revenue rate | $0.203785 | Would raise about the same total revenue as last year. |
Voter-approval rate | $0.224650 | The most the county can adopt without a vote, and the rate if Proposition A fails. |
Adopted (election) rate | $0.248650 | Takes effect only if voters approve Proposition A. |
You may see the adopted rate described as 22.02% above the no-new-revenue rate. That figure compares the adopted rate to the no-new-revenue baseline, not to last year's rate.
It is a technical comparison, so read it as a benchmark rather than a year-over-year jump in your bill.
The Texas Comptroller's truth-in-taxation rules explain the method, noting that the voter-approval tax rate is a calculated maximum rate allowed by law without voter approval. You can also review local Dallas County property tax trends for added context.
What a YES or NO Vote Means for Your Bill
A YES vote sets the county rate at $0.248650, and a NO vote sends it to the voter-approval rate of $0.224650. The county portion rises either way, but less with a NO.
On the median homestead, the county portion was $558.97 in 2025. According to Dallas County's official fact sheet, the adopted tax rate of $0.248650 per $100 applies to a median homestead taxable value of $268,056.
That math would result in a $666.52 county tax if the measure passes. If it fails, local reporting confirms the rate reverts to the voter-approval rate of $0.224650 per $100.
The table below shows the county portion at four taxable values. It compares the NO outcome, the YES outcome, and the extra you would pay with a YES.
Taxable property value | NO vote (voter-approval rate $0.224650) | YES vote (adopted rate $0.248650) | Extra with YES |
|---|---|---|---|
$100,000 | $224.65 | $248.65 | $24 |
$250,000 | $561.63 | $621.63 | $60 |
$500,000 | $1,123.25 | $1,243.25 | $120 |
$1,000,000 | $2,246.50 | $2,486.50 | $240 |
As a rule of thumb, a YES costs about $24 more per $100,000 of taxable value than a NO. To find your own number, look up your taxable value on your DCAD notice and multiply by the rate for each outcome.
One important note on scope. These figures are the Dallas County portion only. Your full bill also includes city, school district, and special-district taxes that are set separately. For the broader calendar and rate basics, see our Dallas County property tax guide.
Your Neighbors Might Be Paying Less...
When Will Your 2026 Tax Bill Arrive and When Is It Due?
In a normal year, Dallas County sends tax bills in October. This year is different.
Because the final county rate is not fixed until the election resolves, 2026 bills are expected to go out after the November 3 vote. That timing has been reported as likely, but it is not a guarantee published by the county.
The due date does not change. Pay by January 31, 2027, to avoid penalties, and taxes become delinquent on February 1.
Many owners never touch the bill directly. If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, your servicer pays the county for you. If you do not have escrow, you pay the county yourself by the due date.
A later bill means less time before that deadline. If you pay the county directly, set the money aside now so a compressed timeline does not catch you off guard. If you pay through escrow, watch for a statement from your servicer confirming the updated amount.
What You Can Still Control Before Your Next Bill
The vote is out of your hands, but two levers are not. Proposition A changes the tax rate, not your home's taxable value, and most savings come from value.
The first lever is exemptions. The Texas general residence homestead exemption lowers your school-taxed value by $140,000, with an extra $60,000 for owners who are 65 or older or disabled.
Make sure your property is on file with the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD). See which exemptions you qualify for, or review our Dallas County homestead exemption breakdown.
If you missed a homestead exemption in a past year, Texas lets you file retroactively for up to two years. That one step can recover value you were entitled to all along, so check your account before you assume it is set.
The second lever is a protest. You can challenge your DCAD value every year before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), and a win lowers the value your bill is built on. Most owners never use it.
In our Texas Protest vs. Non-Protest Study, we found a striking gap. In 2025, 518,899 of Dallas County's 673,910 residential properties (77%) did not protest, the metro's single largest pool of unclaimed savings.
For next year, the 2027 protest deadline is expected to be May 15, 2027, or 30 days after your DCAD notice is mailed, whichever is later. Confirm the exact date printed on your notice.
A protest works because it lowers your taxable value, and the county taxes from appraised value after exemptions. The formula is simple: taxable value times the county rate equals the county portion of your bill.
Here is a worked example using the voter-approval rate of $0.224650:
Taxable value before protest: $400,000
Taxable value after protest: $360,000
County portion before: $898.60
County portion after: $808.74
County savings: $89.86
You can start on your own and protest your property taxes with a clear plan.
How Ownwell Serves Dallas County Homeowners
At Ownwell, we handle your homestead exemption filing and your DCAD protest from start to finish. We gather evidence, build your case, and represent you at the hearing, so you don't have to.
How Much Are You Over Paying?
Our Texas property tax protest service runs on a 25% contingency fee. There is no upfront cost, and you only pay if we save you money.
The results back it up. Our customers win their protests 88% of the time, and they save an average of $774 per year. Start with your address and a 60-second estimate, then start a property tax protest with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dallas County Proposition A?
Proposition A is a Dallas County tax-rate election on November 3, 2026. If voters approve it, the county tax rate would rise to $0.248650 per $100 of value.
Will my property taxes go up if Proposition A fails?
Yes, for the county portion, because a NO vote sends the rate to the voter-approval rate of $0.224650, which is still above 2025's $0.215500.
How much will Proposition A cost me?
If it passes, you would pay about $24 more per $100,000 of taxable value than a NO vote. On the median homestead, that is roughly $108 more than 2025, as shown in the scenario table above.
When are Dallas County property taxes due?
Pay by January 31, 2027 to avoid penalties, since taxes become delinquent on February 1.
Can I lower my Dallas County property tax bill?
Yes, you can file your exemptions and protest your DCAD value. The vote sets the rate, but it doesn't change your home's value, as covered in the section on what you can control.
When is the 2027 Dallas County protest deadline? It is expected to be May 15, 2027, or 30 days after your DCAD notice, whichever is later. Confirm the date printed on your notice.
