Home Rule Information

Differences in Home Rule and General Law

Below are some questions that have been asked.

  1. Home Rule is going to raise my taxes.

No specific section in proposed MPR Charter regarding taxes except- Section 7.01 (a) & (b) referendum process does not allow repeal of any ordinance regarding the levying of taxes.Home Rule is about local control, not a chance to increase revenue by raising taxes. If you research other Home Rule Cities, you will see that this is not a warranted view. Texas Legislature also preempted (constitutionally) Home Rule and General Law cities to put a 3.5% property tax cap (with many stipulations and caveats) Home rule generally does not result in higher property taxes, but even when municipal property taxes go up, the effect usually is not dramatic because the City portion of the property tax bill is small compared to other taxing bodies, especially school districts.

  1. No cities that the Charter Commission reviewed has the same prohibition as proposed by MPR.
  1. By charging a filing fee, the City may be denying someone the right to Run for office due to lack of funds.
  1. Home Rule gives more power to the City Council
  1. We currently are a council-manager form of government.  Why go to all of this effort and have the same things as we have now?
  1. Home Rule Charter can never be changed
  1. Is it legal to run for an office created by Home Rule Charter in the same election as Home Rule Charter is up for adoption
  1. What is the difference between places and at large on city council?
  1. Does the Charter give the City Manager exclusive and unilateral decision-making authority on personnel and other key making decisions, to the exclusions and prohibitions of our elected city council?