Things You Need To Know
Here you'll find the facts —clear, direct, and verified— to help you cut through myths, misinformation, and misconceptions, so you can make an informed decision that’s best for you, your family, and our community.
Introducing the Frisco Center for the Arts
A Journey 15 Years in the Making
Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney shares why he's deeply committed to the upcoming vote on the Frisco Center for the Arts, a commitment that dates back 15 years ago. Since then, he’s invested thousands of personal hours researching similar projects across the country, meeting with civic leaders, business owners, and arts professionals to understand what makes these centers succeed.
His passion isn’t rooted in art but in fulfilling a promise, driving local economic impact, and shaping Frisco’s future. He hopes that, like others who’ve taken the time to learn the facts, voters will see the vision and lend their support.
Frisco Center for the Arts: The Truth About Taxes, Funding, and Long-Term Value
Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney lays out a detailed, transparent case addressing the most common concern around the proposed Frisco Center for the Arts—property taxes. He makes it unequivocally clear: this project will not raise property taxes. Instead, it will be funded by dedicated sales tax revenues through the city’s EDC and CDC, along with Prosper ISD contributions and private fundraising.
Cheney also explains why confusing ballot language is legally required, how Frisco’s financial strategy lowers interest costs, and how economic development projects like this have historically led to tax reductions, not increases —enabling the city to create a 15% homestead exemption, implement a senior tax freeze, and lower the tax rate year after year.
Cheney’s bottom line: this is a once-in-a-generation project that will create lasting cultural, economic, and civic impact without touching your property tax bill.
Frisco Mayor Addresses Questions About Center For The Arts
Published on Local Profile
“It will be an outcome that changes Frisco forever. Let’s put politics aside and get it done together as a united Frisco", said Mayor Jeff Cheney.
Mayor Cheney addresses the myths and misinformation floating around about the Frisco Center for the Arts. Read the article to better understand what it is, how it's really funded, and how the initiative will benefit Frisco long into the future.
Why Frisco Keeps Losing Big Business Deals To Nashville
Published on Local Profile
Mayor Jeff Cheney reveals a side of Frisco’s growth story that rarely gets told—the high-stakes deals the city has lost. Time and again, major corporations, including Fortune 500 companies, have chosen cities like Nashville over Frisco, not because of tax rates or infrastructure, but because of one consistent gap: access to arts and culture.
"The exit interviews all sound the same," Cheney says. "Frisco has it all… except for that."
Will this raise your property taxes?
An unequivocal NO. From the very beginning, Frisco City Council has been aligned that the only way we would bring this project to the voters is to ensure it does not impact our property taxes. Let me say as direct as possible again, this project WILL NOT increase your property taxes.
In fact, economic development projects like these actually lead to a decrease in your property tax bill. They're precisely how Frisco has funded creating and growing a homestead exemption to 15%, reducing our tax rate most years, and implementing a senior tax freeze.
I am confused by the language in Proposition B. Why does it mention ad valorem taxes?
We agree the ballot language required by state law is confusing and we wish we could write it in plain English but ad valorem taxes will not be levied for this project.
Our Economic Development Corp (EDC) and Community Development Corp (CDC) have very healthy balance sheets and can qualify on their own financials for debt issuance. We could have put this on the ballot without this language but must include it to use the full faith and credit of the city as a backstop as Frisco is a AAA rated city.
We always do this as it allows us to receive the best possible rates and save taxpayers interest cost over time. It is a strategy we have used for every tax issuance and something we never have, nor ever will, need to use as a funding source. It would be financially irresponsible for us to not do this to lower interest costs.
Can you explain how it will not raise my property taxes?
Over 30 years ago Frisco voters approved forming the EDC and the CDC, which are special-purpose funds for our generated sales tax with limited uses. Some candidates have been campaigning on redirecting these funds to non-allowed purposes. We cannot do that.
We are using these special-purpose funds to fund this project just like we have done for other major projects like the Star, PGA Frisco, Toyota Stadium, Comerica Center and many others.
Sales tax 101: For every $100 spent in Frisco $8.25 is generated in sales tax. $6.25 goes to the state of Texas. $1 goes to Frisco’s General Fund to help pay for our core services, which include public safety, parks, the library, city staff, etc. The remaining $1 is split in half between our CDC and EDC.
Candidates are saying these funds should be redirected for other purposes?
Unless Frisco has a separate election to repurpose these funds from their original intent this is not a legally viable option. Please do not fall for this political strategy.
They are either uninformed about how the process works or deliberately trying to mislead you to get votes.
You mentioned earlier projects like these help reduce my taxes. Isn't that too good to be true?
This is how we have reduced taxes over the last decade. Before Mayor Cheney was elected we did not have a homestead exemption. He implemented the homestead exemption in his first year. Since then, the city has grown it to 15% of your home value with a goal of getting it to the state maximum of 20%.
In fact, the city of Frisco has reduced your rate almost every year. Our seniors have been asking for a senior freeze for decades and we finally delivered on it. The sales tax revenue that's been generated since Mayor Cheney first took office has doubled, leading to less reliance on residential property tax.
Since 1% flows to our general fund, any project that helps generate more sales tax, as well as a commercial tax base, should be applauded by anyone wanting lower taxes.
We still have more work to do. Our goal is to get our residential tax vs commercial tax base to be 50/50. We are roughly 70/30. Also, we are leaking sales tax on our northern border as Prosper is developing faster. We need to recapture some of that. We also need to recapture what we have studied to be the #1 reason people leave Frisco to spend money elsewhere: for arts and entertainment.
What happens if Propositions A & B do not pass?
Please understand the facts about how EDC funds work—especially if a “vote no” prevails. If this project is voted down, it will not result in the hiring of new police officers or firefighters. It won’t lead to potholes being repaired, new roads being constructed, or reduced traffic.
Why? Because the 1% in sales tax that funds the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Community Development Corporation (CDC) cannot legally be used for those services. These funds are specifically intended to create jobs and generate future sales tax—not to fund core city services directly. That’s the role of the city’s general fund, which comes from a separate portion of sales tax.
The Frisco Center for the Arts project is a textbook example of what these funds are designed to support. It creates jobs, stimulates local spending, increases tourism, and expands our tax base—all without raising your property taxes. And on top of that, it delivers long-term benefits like educational programs, career pathways, entertainment, and a cultural identity that serves residents for generations.
If the vote fails, here’s the reality: the city will hold the EDC funds and wait for another project on this same piece of land. And make no mistake—whatever comes next won’t be better than this. It could be a data center, a commercial shopping mall, or a warehouse distribution center. None of those options deliver the same community value, cultural enrichment, or economic ripple effect that this center would bring.
Voting YES means putting Frisco’s future in motion—with more job creation, stronger small businesses, expanded public revenue, and a cultural legacy we can all be proud of.
What's the overall thing I need to know?
The bottom line: this deal will not increase your property taxes, it will be managed with an operator at risk model, we have funding sources ready and budgeted to go.
It will be another economic engine for Frisco, a far better economic engine than other alternatives, and most importantly, a source of community pride. It will be an outcome that changes Frisco forever.
Let’s put politics aside and get it done together as a united Frisco.
