Tuesday afternoon, State Representative Shelley Luther released a letter seemingly sent Dec. 15, 2025 by Attorney General Ken Paxton to the City of Whitesboro, determining that the city was not in compliance with Senate Bill 1851’s stipulations. The determination is the result of an investigation Paxton launched in October to determine whether the city’s recent property tax increase of 51% followed state law.
Citing cybersecurity concerns, City Administrator Phil Harris said the letter may not be authentic.
“We question the validity of the document that has been shared on social media,” Harris said. “We are working to verify its authenticity. It did not come to us through the normal channels and we are suspect of its legitimacy.”
But Representative Luther confirmed Tuesday evening that the document is indeed from the office of the Attorney General. Michelle Smith, Senior Advisor to Attorney General Paxton, also confirmed the letter is valid.
As of press time, no further details have been shared by Paxton’s office outlining next steps or what penalties the city may face.
While awaiting resolution of the Attorney General’s investigation, Whitesboro has been setting aside all revenue from the tax increase. This means the increased tax dollars are being held as restricted funds until the Attorney General responds with further details or sufficient time passes.
Whitesboro is not the only Texas city under investigation as a result of SB1851. The city councils of Tom Bean, Odessa and La Marque also received letters from the Attorney General. As of press time, it is uncertain whether they have received the results of Paxton’s investigation.
For more information about the City of Whitesboro and SB1851, read the Oct. 10, 2025 issue of the Whitesboro News Record at www.whitesboronewsrecord.com