Coppell Chronicle Vol. 4, No. 35

‘Coppell Plaintiffs’ Await Judge’s Ruling • House Hopefuls Diverge on School Finances • Single-Room Rental Draws Multiple Critics • Shoppers Line Up For Trader Joe’s Opening

I normally wait until the last Sunday of the month to contact my free subscribers, but I did so today because early voting for the November elections starts tomorrow. Dallas County residents can preview their ballots here; people who live in Denton County can do the same here.

When I snuck a peek at my ballot, I had to plow through 16 contested judicial races that are listed ahead of Coppell ISD’s tax proposition. Yikes.

But before we get to the election, we need to cover a trial. I couldn’t be in Austin last week, so I retained the services of Chad Swiatecki, a freelance journalist based in our capitol city. He wrote the first article in this edition.

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‘Coppell Plaintiffs’ Await Judge’s Ruling

AUSTIN — The long wait for Coppell and other peer cities around the state to learn how much sales tax revenue they’ll receive from the considerable number of warehouses and fulfillment centers located in their jurisdictions could come to an end soon. A three-day trial saw “the Coppell plaintiffs” (Coppell, Carrollton, DeSoto, Farmers Branch, and Humble) make their case that a rule updated by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar in 2020 erroneously declassifies those logistics centers as potential places of business.

The net effect of that change, which has been on hold during court challenges, would remove a large portion of sales taxes from the cities’ coffers in favor of the destination municipalities for Internet orders.

Also in play during the trial was a separate suit filed by the City of Round Rock, with the Central Texas home of technology giant Dell arguing it would lose $30 million if the “destination sourcing” rule went into effect.

Judge Karin Crump, who is concluding her time on the bench of the 250th District Court before moving to the 3rd Court of Appeals next year, didn’t decide the case after closing arguments on Wednesday. She told both sides she’d issue her ruling “as quickly as I can” while considering the three days of testimony and prior four years of material.

A wrinkle that emerged during the trial was the view that Hegar’s motivation is his opinion that incentive deals like the one Round Rock has with Dell had gamed the state’s laws to funnel all possible sales taxes into a business’s home city. In many cases, attorney Ray Langenberg argued on Hegar’s behalf, the municipalities then return a portion of those taxes to the business.

Coppell has spent roughly 50 years attracting warehouses and fulfillment centers to its western edges within the flight path of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. City Manager Mike Land said Coppell’s sales tax revenues would drop by at least $10 million per year if Hegar gets his way. To put that in perspective, the city’s general fund allocates $9.9 million to police in this year’s budget.

One of the primary points of Langenberg’s argument for the comptroller is that a fulfillment center does not qualify as a place of business, which is a requirement of the tax code that Hegar’s staff is charged with carrying out. While those centers are designed solely to carry out orders placed over the Internet, Langenberg cited statutory language that said they would qualify as places of business merely by completing three on-site orders per year.

“It is a peculiar statute. It draws peculiar distinctions that do not make any sense to an ordinary person,” he said during his opening argument. “Our job is just to try to implement whatever the Legislature has decided.”

Over the three days of proceedings, Crump displayed an open-eyed curiosity and inquisitiveness regarding the case she’s been presiding over for years. During Langenberg’s opening statement and closing argument, she seemed to detect faulty logic in the comptroller’s handling of the rule.

One of her main concerns appeared to be the forecast that a change to destination sourcing would result in a 15 percent decrease in sales tax on e-commerce, because a portion of those transactions would be completed in small towns and communities with no sales taxing authority.

“Why aren't we just listening to the business to tell us where the order is received?” she asked Langenberg during his opening statement. “Maybe the evidence will answer this question, but I just … I’m not sure. I understand if there’s a net loss attached to the state and the state’s entities or jurisdictions. Why are we making this so complicated?”

The plaintiffs called several witnesses who tried to explain the intricacies of warehouses versus fulfillment centers, and the details of how Internet sales are conducted using software that forwards orders to a server, which the state is adamant cannot qualify as a place of business, even if it is technically the first location where an order is received.

During questioning from Coppell attorney Jim Harris, Land said any average observer would unquestionably describe the dozens of facilities within Coppell and the other plaintiffs’ boundaries as places of business.

“They have physical plant from four walls, a roof, parking, employees,” Land said. “They have transport facilities. They have racks. They have product. They have inventory. They have packaging. They have product that they own, and they have computers, where they receive the orders.”

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House Hopefuls Diverge on School Finances

The League of Women Voters hosted a candidates forum at Dallas College’s North Lake Campus last Tuesday.

When four Texas House candidates got together for a forum in Irving last week, they were asked questions about a variety of topics, including abortion, immigration, and affordable housing. But this article is going to focus on education.

That’s because education funding will undoubtedly be a hot topic when the Legislature convenes in January. Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott called four special sessions in an effort to get a “school choice” bill approved, but a coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans would not budge on what most Texans call “vouchers.”

During Tuesday’s League of Women Voters forum, the candidates were asked if they support vouchers and if so, what kind? Republican John Jun — a former Coppell City Council member seeking to represent District 115 — repeatedly said vouchers and educational savings accounts (ESAs) are not the same. He said vouchers would solely offset the cost of private school tuition, while ESAs could help pay for other expenses such as tutors and study materials. Jun also said ESAs would primarily be for children from low-income households and children with disabilities.

Jun said each of his four kids got a fine education from Coppell ISD, but people have asked him to consider what life would be like in a failing district: “How would you feel? Wouldn’t you want your kids to have that same opportunity to have an education for [the] future?” Jun said he would.

Here’s how his Democratic opponent, Cassandra Hernandez, began her answer to the moderator’s question: “I’m absolutely not for vouchers or ESAs or whatever folks want to call them to pull a quick one on voters.”

Hernandez cited “eye-opening” testimony she’d heard from leaders of private schools and charter schools during recent legislative sessions: “The fact that these schools do not want to be upheld to the same transparency and the same requirements as public schools should be a dead-set no for voters and for everybody in the Texas Legislature.”

She also said vouchers would siphon money from school districts. “We should be investing in public schools, not taking money away from them,” Hernandez said. But Jun said, “That funding is not coming from the school grants; it’s actually coming from [the] general fund.” In that sense, he portrayed ESAs as a potential increase to education funding in Texas. 

Hernandez reminded voters that many Republicans who opposed Abbott’s agenda lost in the GOP primaries last spring. Meanwhile, Abbott recently endorsed Jun’s candidacy for the open seat in House District 115.

The moderator asked Jun a follow-up question submitted by an audience member: Would you support a bill that offered vouchers to all families, regardless of their income level? Jun said he would not. “We’re talking about trying to help those that are disabled, underprivileged, in a district that’s failing,” he said.

The moderator modified that question for Hernandez and the other candidates at the forum, incumbent state Rep. Terry Meza — whose District 105 includes a sliver of Coppell ISD — and her Republican challenger, Rose Cannaday. She asked them whether there was anything that would convince them to support vouchers.

Whether they’re called vouchers or ESAs or any other term, “I am not for defunding public education — period,” Hernandez said. She added that she’s been “tricking” legislators by telling them this: “If you fully fund public education, then maybe I’ll look at your bill. So let’s make sure we do that first, and then maybe I’ll take a look at it.”

You can take a look at a recording of Tuesday’s forum at this link, but be advised that it doesn’t really start until nearly the 50-minute mark.

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Let’s Get Ready to Vote

Early voting begins tomorrow and continues daily through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 5, when Coppell ISD schools will be closed because many of them will serve as polling places.

Besides hosting the forum you just read about, the League of Women Voters also published a free voter guide featuring candidates’ answers to questionnaires. Although the league is a nonpartisan organization, many Republican candidates did not participate.

The Dallas Morning News had more success getting candidates from both parties to respond to its voter guide, and the newspaper’s editorial board offers recommendations in many races. Unfortunately, all of that content is behind a paywall. However, you can get a three-month subscription to the Morning News for just $1. That’s a pretty sweet deal, especially if you set a reminder to cancel before another fee kicks in.

When wading through all the judicial races, you may want to consult the results of the Dallas Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Poll and the nonpartisan recommendations of the Committee for a Qualified Judiciary.

Voters in certain jurisdictions have more to consider than candidates:

• Coppell ISD is conducting a voter-approval tax-ratification election or VATRE. A political action committee called “Yes! Committed to Our Schools” has a website that features a list of people who intend to mark the “For” button on the ballot. That list includes all seven Coppell ISD trustees, at least two former trustees (Judy Barbo and Tracy Fisher), and three Coppell City Council members: Don Carroll, Kevin Nevels, and Jim Walker.

• Voters in Irving will decide whether their firefighters will be able to collectively bargain with the city’s administration.

• Because Cypress Waters is technically a part of Dallas, voters who reside there get to weigh 18 proposed amendments to Big D’s city charter. The ones labeled Propositions S, T, and U are opposed by Mayor Eric Johnson and several of his predecessors, including Ron Kirk, Tom Leppert, Laura Miller, and Mike Rawlings. My friends at D Magazine have more information.

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Are You Ready to Upgrade?

This seems like a fine time to remind everyone that a paid subscription to the Coppell Chronicle costs just $30 per year. That equates to less than 58 cents per weekly edition. The price per email gets even lower when you take the occasional bonus editions into account.

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Single-Room Rental Draws Multiple Critics

Some Coppell Greens homeowners are opposed to a neighbor’s application for a short-term-rental permit, despite a lack of reported problems at the property in question.

Aditi Kharel and her husband have owned their five-bedroom house on Turnberry Lane since 2021, and they began offering short-term rentals shortly thereafter. They rent out a single bedroom suite that is not connected to the rest of the house. During a public hearing before the Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday, Kharel said the home’s unusual layout was attractive because they wanted to continue making extra money via what she described as a “good side-hustle.” She said the couple offered short-term rentals at their previous home in Frisco.

Kharel said she has about 70 to 80 guests per year, and none of them have caused problems for her or her neighbors. Most of them are drawn to her property because of Coppell’s proximity to DFW Airport. They are typically seeking a good night’s sleep before an early flight.

Kharel also said she is very selective when it comes to accepting guests. If you don’t have a five-star rating on Airbnb, don’t bother trying to book a stay at her home. She also rents only to individual guests; couples, children, and pets are not welcome.

A few of Kharel’s neighbors said they don’t particularly have an issue with her. They are opposed to short-term rentals generally.

“The parents of the children on my block are concerned to the point of detriment to their health about the neighborhood, the flow of traffic, the people coming and going,” Charles Pool said.

Carter Smith, who lives across the street from Pool, added this: “There’s a broad cross section of people with young kids and old codgers like me. It’s a really awesome little neighborhood, and I just want to see it stay that way.”

(I couldn’t help but notice that Pool and Smith live just a few doors away from an infamous property that was the subject of a similar hearing last December. That application was not endorsed by any commissioners, as chronicled in “Permit Request Has Coppell Greens Seeing Red,” and the applicants didn’t bother appealing their case to the City Council.)

Another one of Kharel’s neighbors, Jim Prince, said the streets in Coppell Greens are narrow, and vehicles parked on those streets make the neighborhood difficult to navigate. But Kharel said her Airbnb listing indicates that guests are expected to park in her driveway, and 99 percent of them comply. If she notices a vehicle on the street, Kharel asks the guest to move it.

A 4-2 majority of the commissioners voted to recommend approval of Kharel’s permit. The final decision lies with the City Council on Nov. 12.

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Shoppers Line Up For Trader Joe’s Opening

Trader Joe’s opened its Coppell store on Wednesday morning, and I got there just in time to record this video of manager Parker Staley cutting a ribbon.

At least 65 customers were lined up by the time that happened at 8:45. I was not able to get inside quickly enough to record the store’s first transaction, but I was told it consisted of a pair of tote bags. That sounded odd, because Trader Joe’s sells lots of items that taste better than tote bags.

I have not yet purchased anything at the Coppell location, but a member of my household has. My son with special needs participates in Coppell ISD’s Skills Training and Employment Program for recent graduates. Upon being informed that he and his peers would be visiting the store on Friday, I searched for a list of the best snacks you can buy at Trader Joe’s so I could provide him with some direction. Per my instructions, he came home with a box of Almond Butter Cocoa Bars and a bag of Jerk-Style Plantain Chips. After sampling each, I gave a “yum” to the former and a “meh” to the latter.

My less-than-enthusiastic review probably won’t have much effect on the crowds Trader Joe’s is drawing to Coppell. To reduce traffic headaches, the city deployed electronic signs that urge shoppers to enter the parking lot from Sandy Lake Road rather than Denton Tap Road.

A press release I received on Tuesday afternoon said it’s been eight years since a Trader Joe’s opened in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and this is the chain’s 20th store in Texas. I asked spokesperson Nakia Rohde if she could provide the Coppell store’s total sales figure for Day 1, but she said Trader Joe’s doesn’t share such data. That leaves me to wildly speculate that the store rang up at least $375.50 worth of groceries on Wednesday. Are you taking the over or the under?

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Chronicle Crumbs

• If you’re frustrated by the woes of the Dallas Cowboys, I suggest redirecting your energy and attention to a different set of Cowboys who play under the Friday night lights at Buddy Echols Field. Coppell High School’s varsity football team is undefeated through seven games and scoring an average of 46 points per week. Their next home game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, and the deadline to purchase meals for the pregame Community Tailgate has been extended until noon on Monday.

• A special Coppell ISD Board of Trustees meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The only action item on the agenda: “Discuss and consider action regarding the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Dual Language Immersion (DLI) recommendations.” This action is necessary because a majority of the trustees voted to close Pinkerton Elementary School, the district’s only elementary campus with an IB program. If that’s news to you, get caught up on previous articles.

• The Coppell ISD Education Foundation’s Give for Grants campaign is up and running, and I was pleased to see that the one request made solely by a Pinkerton teacher has already been funded. (I phrased it that way because there’s another request to buy a Lego robotics kit that would be shared by all CISD elementary schools.) Take a few minutes to peruse the proposals before the Nov. 15 deadline. None of the dollars raised will be subject to recapture.

• The Coppell Police Department announced that the Bank of Texas branch on MacArthur Boulevard was robbed on Oct. 7, and the Flower Mound Police Department announced that a Point Bank branch on Long Prairie Road was robbed on Oct. 10. The photo on the left was published by the Coppell cops, and the photo on the right was released by their peers in Flower Mound. I’m no detective, but that appears to be the same hat in both photos.

• The Container Store, which is based in Coppell, recently announced a $40 million investment from Beyond Inc. that will lead to the Bed Bath & Beyond brand being revived in The Container Store’s product line.

• Last month, The Dallas Morning News repeatedly published a legal notice that said the Metrocrest Hospital Authority planned to sell 4.3 acres in Carrollton to the governments of Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, and Farmers Branch. When I contacted hospital authority CEO John Mahalik for details, he explained that the land will be a new home for the North Texas Emergency Communications Center, which is jointly owned by the four cities.

This schematic’s orientation has the north end on your left.

The agenda for Tuesday’s Coppell City Council meeting includes a resolution approving the real estate deal. A memo from Deputy City Manager Kent Collins says Coppell will be responsible for nearly 12 percent of the purchase price, or about $382,477. Those dollars will come from the Crime Control Prevention District Special Revenue Fund, which is sourced from sales taxes.

• Last week’s edition included an article called “City Council Debates Motorcycle Prices,” in which City Council Member Jim Walker said it’s his understanding that Harley-Davidsons are manufactured domestically. After it was published, a reader pointed me to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article that says Harley-Davidson plans to produce some bikes in Thailand. However, Stephanie Sunker, a spokesperson for Maverick Harley-Davidson, assured me that the four police motorcycles Coppell is buying were made in York, Pa.

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Halloween Calendar

Rejoice Lutheran Church Pumpkin Patch: The pumpkin patch behind the church on Sandy Lake Road is open until 8:30 each evening through the end of October.

Halloween Family Fun Night: The Cozby Library and Community Commons will offer “spooktacular” stories and games for young families between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Town Center Plaza. In the event of adverse weather, the program will be moved inside the library.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: Performers enrolled at the Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus will stage three performances based on Washington Irving’s classic tale. They are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Get tickets here.

Scare on the Square: Businesses in Old Town Coppell will welcome trick-or-treaters between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturday.

Dracula — A Ballet With a Bite: The Ballet Ensemble of Texas will perform a PG-rated show at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Coppell Arts Center. Get more details here.

New Tech Haunted House: The Student Council at New Tech High will host a haunted house between 7 and 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. Regular tickets cost $5; VIP tickets cost $10. All proceeds benefit the SPCA’s animal-welfare efforts.

First United Methodist Church Trunk or Treat: All are welcome to enjoy games, crafts, and candy in the church’s main parking lot between 5 and 7 p.m. on Oct. 27.

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Community Calendar

What You Don’t Know about AI: Cortnie Abercrombie, author of What You Don’t Know: AI’s Unseen Influence on Your Life and How to Take Back Control, will be at the Cozby Library and Community Commons at 2 p.m. today to discuss artificial intelligence, how it impacts your life, and who you can trust.

A Choir for All Ages: Singers from the Coppell Community Chorale, Dallas Baptist University, Paschal High School, and the Coppell Children’s Chorus will join forces at 3 p.m. today at the Coppell Arts Center.

State House Candidates Forum: House District 115 candidates Cassandra Hernandez and John Jun are scheduled to appear at Dallas College’s Coppell Center at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Fire Prevention Safety Show: The Coppell Fire Department Edutainment Troupe will present a show designed for young children at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Coppell Arts Center. Admission is free, but registration is required via the link.

DEA National Drug Takeback Day: Citizen’s Police Academy Coppell Alumni Association volunteers will take unused medications off your hands between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Coppell Justice Center.

Girl Scouts Recruitment Event: Coppell-area Girl Scouts troops will be at Andrew Brown Park East from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 to answer questions. This event will also celebrate the birthday of Juliette Gordon Low, who founded Girl Scouts in the United States.

Breakfast With U.S. Rep Beth Van Duyne: The former Irving mayor is seeking a third term representing Congressional District 24. She’s scheduled to appear at Dallas College’s Coppell Center at 9 a.m. on Oct. 30.

Coppell Band Community/Senior Night: The Coppell High School Band will present a free performance at 6 p.m. on Nov. 4 at Buddy Echols Field. If you want to preorder a meal from In-N-Out to enjoy during the show, click that link by Nov. 1.

Dia de los Muertos Craftastic: Cozby Library and Community Commons patrons of all ages will have an opportunity to create beautiful crafts, enjoy delicious treats, and honor loved ones who have passed between 2 and 3 p.m. on Nov. 2.

Taste of Coppell: If you want to sample dishes prepared by a variety of Coppell restaurants, then be at the Four Points by Sheraton between 4 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 2. Youth tickets are $10 and $20; adult tickets are $40 at the door but $35 if you buy them in advance.

Coppell Baseball Tailgate Dinner: Before rooting for the Coppell varsity football team in their regular-season finale on Nov. 7, swing by the high school’s main entrance for the baseball program’s fundraising dinner.

Pinot for Polio: The Rotary Club of Coppell’s third annual fundraiser is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Landon Winery, which is committing 10 percent of the evening’s proceeds to support the fight against polio.

Coppell Writing Fair: The Kindred Writing Collective will feature a variety of local authors plus some blowhard who pens a weekly newsletter. The free event is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.

Black & White Gala: The Coppell High School Cowboy Theatre Company’s inaugural fundraising gala will begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the Aloft hotel in Coppell. Tickets are $25 for students and $55 for adults.

Holiday House: The Coppell High School PTSO will host its annual shopping event — which will also feature live music and a visit with Santa Claus — from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 10. Admission is $5 for adults, and $2 for students who are 13 or older. The proceeds will benefit Project Graduation.

Puzzle Competition: The Cozby Library and Community Commons will host another jigsaw puzzle competition for adult teams of two at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13.