Prosper officials are looking to keep the town’s property tax rate steady as they consider a $139.2 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27, according to the town’s preliminary budget.

The specifics: Prosper Town Council set a maximum property tax rate of $0.505000 per $100 in valuation, which is equal to the current property tax rate, at an Aug. 11 meeting.

Sorting out details: Despite the level property tax rate, officials expect to collect an additional $2.7 million in property tax thanks to an increase in certified property valuations, according to town documents.

What else: Town officials are proposing multiple years of water and wastewater rate increases to compensate for the increasing cost of water from the North Texas Municipal Water District, Finance Director Chris Landrum said.

Stay tuned: Council will vote on the proposed budget and property tax rate on Sept. 8.

Toni Mehmedi, the owner of Celina Star Cafe, is planning a new restaurant called Brunch Factory, he said.

The details: The restaurant will be located off Preston Road in the Celina West shopping development and is targeting an early 2027 opening date, he said.

What they offer: Although the exact concept for the restaurant is still in the works, diners can expect elevated versions of traditional brunch food, he said.

• 3655 S. Preston Road, Celina

From 2020-25, more than 45,000 wildfires burned over 2.7 million acres of Texas land, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Ahead of the 2027 state legislative session, lawmakers are looking into ways to better prevent wildfires from happening and prepare communities to respond when fires do start.

The background: In 2025, state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 34, which required the Texas A&M Forest Service to create a statewide database of firefighting equipment; established a council to improve emergency communications between local, state and federal agencies; and increased funding to help rural volunteer fire departments purchase equipment from $30 million to $40 million.

Quote of note: Sen. Kevin Sparks, a Midland Republican who authored the law, said more work needs to be done to increase wildfire preparedness across the state.

"As we move forward, our focus should be on a more proactive approach that prioritizes prevention and mitigation alongside response preparedness," Sparks said during an Aug. 11 hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which he chairs.