Plano City Council Meeting – February 23, 2026

The Plano City Council convened on February 23, 2026, to discuss the allocation of approximately $7 million in excess sales tax revenue, make appointments to various boards and commissions, and receive departmental overviews from Budget and Performance Management and Parks and Recreation.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting began with an executive session. Items H and I were pulled from the consent agenda due to a public speaker; no other consent items were discussed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A member of the public spoke regarding items H and I, but the content of the testimony was not transcribed in the provided material.

Discussion Items

• Council Appointments: The city council assigned members to numerous boards, commissions, and organizations for the upcoming year, including the Airport Master Plan Committee, Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, North Texas Commission, and many others (full list detailed in transcript).
• Sales Tax Cap Policy and Excess Revenue Distribution: Budget Director Karen (surname not given) explained that the city's policy uses a three-year average for sales tax projections. For the current year, the re-estimate was $124.6 million, but actual collections reached $131.8 million due to one-time revenues at the end of August and September, leaving a $7 million surplus. The council debated uses for this one-time money:
  • Councilmember Levine proposed a one-time grant or incentive to establish a North Texas Children's Museum through an expansion of the Cy Tech Discovery Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. He argued the museum would be self-sustaining through admissions, memberships, and partnerships, and would drive tourism and economic development ("heads in beds"). He requested that the excess sales tax be held in reserve rather than automatically directed to the rainy day fund to allow flexibility for negotiations.
  • Councilmember Kerr expressed concern about funding a nonprofit (the museum) and noted other nonprofits with immediate needs.
  • Mayor Pro Tem II favored using the one-time funds for a real estate purchase (Connect Plano) rather than a project with ongoing costs.
  • Councilmember Cantania suggested allocating some funds to the Community Relations Commission for one-time grants to nonprofits.
  • Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Horn supported Connect Plano and replenishing the rainy day fund, which was depleted after a prior ice storm. He also noted the city had previously discussed a visual arts facility.
  • Councilmember Downs concurred with Cantania on community relations support and endorsed Connect Plano and rainy day fund replenishment.
  • Councilmember Thomas favored looking at other community needs first.
  • Councilmember Levine acknowledged the comments and requested staff explore negotiations with Cy Tech. Mayor Muns offered to meet with Cy Tech representatives himself to better understand their needs and funding requirements.
• Department Overview – Budget and Performance Management: Karen presented the department's core functions, including developing and monitoring the $800 million operating budget and $319 million capital program, revenue forecasting, fee studies, and the Fiscal Roadmap Initiative. She highlighted the 40-year streak of receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and noted the upcoming implementation of new budgeting software (Questica) and priority-based budgeting.
• Department Overview – Parks and Recreation: Director Ron Smith reviewed the department's national accreditation (since 1994), five National Gold Medals for Excellence, and key statistics: over 5,000 acres, 87 parks, 100+ miles of trails, five recreation centers, and eight swimming pools. He emphasized the "Plano way" of local management. In response to a question from Councilmember Cantania, Smith confirmed that the High Point Tennis Center remains under local management (a contract with a new tennis professional) rather than being turned over to a corporate operator.

Key Outcomes

• Council consensus directed staff to move forward with purchasing land for the Connect Plano facility (a consolidated hub for city services).
• Council agreed to place the $7 million excess sales tax revenue into the rainy day fund, with the understanding that council can later authorize withdrawals for one-time grants, including those for the Community Relations Commission during the upcoming budget cycle.
• Mayor Muns committed to meeting with the Cy Tech Discovery Center board to explore the children's museum proposal further, with city manager Mark Israelson possibly joining.
• No formal votes were taken; decisions were reached by consensus.
• The next budget discussion, including potential one-time funding for community relations, is expected during the budget process, with the proposed budget presentation scheduled for July 29, 2026.