Alisa Simmons, the Tarrant County Commissioner of Precinct 2, and Tim O’Hare, the Tarrant County Judge, during a Commissioners Court Meeting at the Tarrant County Administration Building in Fort Worth on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. The two are up against each other in the election for O’Hare’s seat.
Chris Torres
ctorres@star-telegram.com
One of the more notable differences a county judge can make for residents is in their property tax bill.
A homeowner’s bill is based on their appraised home value and the tax rates set by local governments, including the county, city and school district. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court is responsible for setting the tax rates and the budgets those tax dollars support for both the county and JPS Hospital Network.
O’Hare and Simmons have been on the Commissioners Court since 2023, though O’Hare chairs the court. In that time, the county increased the homestead exemption to the maximum allowed by state law, 20%. The Commissioners Court has also voted to lower the tax rates for both the county and hospital district each year.
Here’s what Republican Tim O’Hare and Democrat Alisa Simmons have said regarding your taxes.
Issue: TaxesTim O’Hare, incumbent
County Judge O’Hare, of Southlake, campaigned on lowering taxes when he ran for the seat in 2022 and led the charge to cut the county tax rate below the no new revenue rate every year he’s been in office. The no new revenue rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue from existing properties as the prior year.
His campaign sent a fundraising email shortly after the commissioners lowered tax rates for both entities last month, saying the county and hospital district’s rates are now “the lowest they’ve been in modern county history.”
O’Hare and the two Republican commissioners garnered support from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in August, who lauded Tarrant County as the poster child for creating meaningful tax relief.
The county judge said in an August press release right after the vote to lower the tax rate that he would continue to fight for lower taxes.
“Tarrant County’s tax rate is down 17 percent since I took office, and we did that while still funding law enforcement, our courts, and the services our residents rely on,” he said. “The Hospital District rate is down 29.2 percent, without a single less patient receiving treatment.”
Alisa Simmons, Precinct 2 commissioner
Simmons, of Arlington, approved the decision to lower the county tax rate below the no new revenue rate in her first two years on the Commissioners Court. In the most recent two years, the Democrat believed the county was cutting into bone rather than trimming fat.
In 2025, Simmons and another Democrat commissioner’s absence forced a delay on setting the 2026 tax rate. State law requires four of the five commissioners court members present to levy taxes, whereas only three constitute a quorum in every other case.
In a statement issued that day, Simmons called O’Hare’s proposed tax rate extreme and destructive. She instead wanted to set the tax rate at the no new revenue rate. In the end, the Republican majority on court voted to set the lower tax rate amid disapproval from the two Democrats.
“My record stands: I voted in favor of tax rates below No-New-Revenue rates since being on the Commissioners Court,” the September 2025 statement said. “In addition, I made the motion for the inaugural 10 percent Homestead Exemption. I support tax cuts that are honest and compassionate — that cut fat, not bone — and that protect both your pocketbook and your community.”
This year, Simmons was present for the decision, but voted against the cut. She again said the proposed tax rate, which is lower than the no new revenue rate, would come with consequences. The budget director, in response, said she had no concerns about the county’s fiscal health.
This story was originally published September 24, 2026 at 2:01 PM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Rachel Royster is a news and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, specifically focused on Tarrant County. She joined the newsroom after interning at the Austin American-Statesman, the Waco Tribune-Herald and Capital Community News in DC. A Houston native and Baylor grad, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading and being outside. She welcomes any and all news tips to her email.