Homeowners in Denton ISD will see a bit of relief on their next tax bill after the board of trustees dialed back the total property tax rate to $1.1528 per $100 of taxable value for FY 2026-27 during their regular meeting Sept. 22. 

The move will shave more than 5 cents off the previous year's rate and result in the owner of a median-valued homestead in Denton ISD saving approximately $345 from the previous year.

The context: During her presentation to the board, Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Stewart said the FY 2026-27 school year budget was adopted in June based on property value estimates. The district then received certified values in July and was required to submit those values to the Texas Education Agency by Aug. 1. The TEA then assigned the district its maintenance and operations tax rate based on that information.

Stewart said certified values increased nearly $4 billion from the previous tax year, from $31.2 billion to $35.2 billion. Most of that additional value came from new commercial property, personal property and commercial real property.

Take a look at some of the latest business updates around Denton, including the opening of a new tequila lounge, a new Chicken Salad Chick under construction and the opening of new dog grooming services. This list is not comprehensive.

Now open

Mexican Oak Tequila Lounge
The lounge sits on the second floor of Mexican Oak and only serves tequila. A variety of cocktails are available with tequila. In addition to drinks, the lounge has small-bite fare available, such as shrimp, flautas and chimichangas.

• Opened Sept. 11

• 100 W. Oak St., Ste. 160, Denton

• www.mexicanoak.com

Coming soon

A&E The Hair Studio
The studio will operate as a booth-rental-style salon hosting independent beauty professionals and will offer hair styling services.

• Opening in November

• 211 Cedar St., Denton

• www.instagram.com/the_hair_studio211

Frisco’s Northwest Community Park hosted a grand opening Sept. 19 while Collin County officials voted to raise the property tax rate. Check out six trending stories from Community Impact’s Dallas-Fort Worth coverage areas.

1. Frisco celebrates grand opening of 122-acre Northwest Community Park

2. Collin County officials raise property tax rate for FY 2026-27

3. Keller ISD consolidating campuses due to declining enrollment

4. New mixed-use district planned around Toyota Stadium in Frisco

5. Rustic Cowboy Bar & Dance Hall offers dance lessons, live music in Fort Worth

6. 5 restaurants now open, coming soon in Plano

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.