Transparency

Open Government - Civil Accountability and Financial Transparency

Accountability and financial transparency are the foundation of a well-managed and open government. The Palestine City Council and the City of Palestine staff make government transparency a top priority.

City Charter and Ordinances

The City Charter, created by the citizens of Palestine for its municipal government, is the first chapter in the City of Palestine Code of Ordinances

Mayor

The Mayor of Palestine is elected every two years and is the president of the city council. The current Mayor of Palestine is Mitchell Jordan. 

  • Email Mayor Jordan

City Council

The Palestine City Council serves the residents of Palestine through six representative districts. Each elected council member serves for a two-year term. More information, including contact information for council members, can be found on the City Council page.

Council Meetings

The City Secretary records and maintains agendas and minutes from City Council meetings. An indexed list of agendas and minutes can be found at the city's Meetings Portal

Department Listings

All the city departments can be accessed from the Departments section. Each Department page contains contact information for Department personnel.

Employee contact information can be found in the Staff Directory.

News Releases

Recent news releases are located on the News page.

Open Records

Send in an open records request (PDF) in accordance with the Texas Open Records Act. 

Information on the Texas Public Information Act

Health Inspections

The City of Palestine Health Services has transitioned to the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health). NET Health is now the local jurisdiction responsible for Environmental Health Services which includes retail food inspections, commercial pool/spa/PIWF, and adult and child care facilities for the City of Palestine. All applications, fees, and administration paperwork must be submitted directly to the Environmental Health Department of NET Health, located at 815 N. Broadway Avenue, Tyler, Texas 75702. To find information on food and pool inspections, visit the NET Health page.

Financial Data

Financial data and online resources provide information on how city tax dollars are budgeted, spent, and invested. We endeavor to make both the information and the way it is presented as clear and informative as possible.

The City of Palestine's Finance Department publishes financial information for public inspection, including:

Tax Information

  • Property Tax
  • Sales Tax
    • The Sales Tax Rate of 8.25% is made up of 6.25% State of Texas, 0.50% Anderson County and 1.50% City of Palestine. The 1.50% is made up of 1.125% to General Fund, 0.125% to Dedicated Street Repair and Maintenance, and 0.250% to Economic Development.
    • Information on Sales Tax collections can be found on the State Comptroller's website.
  • Hotel Occupancy Tax

Purchasing

Information on purchasing requirements and projects can be found on the City's purchasing page.

Debt

A detailed debt payment summary can be found on our debt page.

Texas Transparency

Visit the State Comptroller's website for information on the State of Texas' Transparency Program.

Unclaimed Property

Information on unclaimed property in the City of Palestine can be found on the state of Texas' website, Texas Unclaimed Property.