Plano ISD's board of trustees approved a slightly lower tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year on Sept. 8.

What you need to know: The new tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 of $1.03275 per $100 of taxable value is down from the current rate of $1.03955 per $100 of taxable value.

District Chief Financial Officer Courtney Reeves said that the tax rate decline has been "primarily driven by state-mandated tax rate compression." The new rate is equal to the maximum allowed rate without triggering an election.

Despite the lowered tax rate, Plano homeowners will, on average, pay more in taxes next fiscal year due to increased property values, Reeves said.

Angel Touch Kitchen is opening a brick-and-mortar in east Plano to offer Indonesian cuisine.

What they offer: Owner Yenni Haryanti said the restaurant's slow-cooked beef rendang is one of its best sellers, and other menu items include fried rice, stir-fried noodles and chicken skewers. She said the flavor is made to be approachable to diners while providing an opportunity to discover something new.

Check out five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

Upcoming projects

1. Light rail vehicle replacements

Project: Dallas Area Rapid Transit agency received a $70 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, according to a news release from the agency. DART said it will use the $70 million grant to replace 53 light rail vehicles that were originally purchased over 30 years ago.

Update: DART has already begun the procurement process to purchase the new vehicles, but the agency has not announced a timeline for delivery.

• Timeline: TBD

• Cost: $70 million

• Funding source: Federal Transit Administration

Ongoing projects

2. CPKC Railroad Crossing improvements

Project: The city of Plano is replacing existing railroad crossings at Los Rios Boulevard and Plano Parkway. The project will also add sidewalk for some of the city’s gaps in the current sidewalk system.

Update: Construction on the project started in September.

• Timeline: September 2026-27

• Cost: $179,219

• Funding: city of Plano

Two candidates are running for the Collin County judge position this November.

Early voting for the Nov. 3 election runs from Oct. 19-30.

The details: Incumbent Republican Chris Hill will face Democratic challenger John R. Buster Brown in the race for Collin County judge this November. Read Q&As with each candidate.