I am a Gun Barrel City resident, a neighbor, and a parent who loves this community. I am not related to any city employees, I do not work for the City, and I gain nothing personally from this petition. I’m speaking up because I believe staying silent would be irresponsible.

As parents, we want to know our children are safe in their homes, at school, and when they’re out in our community. As business owners, we depend on safe streets, quick response times, and a visible police presence to protect our livelihoods. As seniors, many of whom live alone or on fixed incomes, we rely on knowing that help will come when we need it most.

Gun Barrel City is growing — but our police department is being left behind.

Gun Barrel City is one of the very few cities in Texas that does not collect property taxes. Because of this, our city depends entirely on sales tax revenue to fund essential services like police protection.

Here’s the reality:

Of the 8.25% sales tax collected, the City receives only 1%! This severely limits funding for police salaries, staffing, and retention. Officers are underpaid compared to surrounding cities and are leaving their jobs to pursue other higher paying positions in nearby communities. Raises cannot be promised. The department is critically understaffed.

Despite this, our officers respond daily to:

• Violent crime
• Theft
• Drug activity
• Domestic violence
• Child abuse and welfare calls
• They also assist surrounding cities — stretching an already thin department even further.

As our population and commercial development continue to grow, crime will grow with it. Without sustainable funding, there will come a day when we call 911 — and there simply won’t be enough officers available to respond.

There is a saying we all know: “You get what you pay for.”

This petition is not about politics.
It is not anti-growth or anti-business.
It IS about protecting our families, neighborhoods, and officers.

We are asking City leadership to:
Explore sustainable funding solutions for public safety;
Prioritize competitive pay and staffing for police officers;
Engage residents in transparent discussions about long-term planning;
Act before public safety is compromised;

We love Gun Barrel City. We support our police. We believe safety should never be optional.

Please sign and share this petition to protect our city — now and for the future.