Digital Dignity, Rights, and Privacy Ordinance

The City of Amarillo proudly reaffirms its commitment to the values of individual liberty, responsible innovation, and public trust through the passage of the Digital Dignity, Rights, and Privacy Ordinance (PDF).

This ordinance establishes a comprehensive and forward-looking framework to ensure that Amarillo’s digital policies respect resident rights, promote ethical governance, and foster innovation grounded in transparency and accountability.

Partnership for a Responsible Digital Future

In partnership with Digital Rights House, Amarillo seeks to lead in human-centered technology. This partnership brings additional expertise and capacity to ensure that Amarillo’s approach to digital governance reflects best practices in privacy, equity, and civic engagement.

Guiding Framework: The Amarillo Principles for Dignified Digital Governance

These principles, now formally adopted in City policy, serve as the foundation for every digital system and initiative:

  1. Protection of Digital Rights
    The City affirms the digital rights of residents, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and equitable access to information. These rights shall be protected in all digital policies and practices.
  2. Data Minimalism and Privacy Protection
    The City shall collect only the data necessary to deliver public services effectively and shall ensure that personal information is protected through clear, accessible privacy practices.
  3. Human-Centered Technology
    All technological initiatives shall be designed and implemented with the primary goal of serving and enhancing the dignity, well-being, and independence of residents.
  4. Balanced Approach to Solutions
    The City shall recognize that not all challenges require digital interventions. When traditional, non-digital methods provide greater simplicity, accessibility, or personal engagement, they shall be preserved and supported as viable alternatives.
  5. Resident-Driven Decision-Making and Collaboration
    The City shall provide transparent, inclusive, and respectful opportunities for resident input and feedback to influence digital policies and systems. The City shall actively involve residents in the design, testing, and evaluation of digital solutions to ensure alignment with community values and priorities giving due regard to security protocols and confidentiality in accordance with state and federal law.
  6. Transparency and Accountability in Digital Initiatives
    Whenever possible, the City shall maintain publicly accessible documentation of all digital systems and initiatives that interact with personal data. These systems shall be subject to review for efficiency and effectiveness.
  7. Universal Accessibility
    All City technologies and digital services shall be designed, when possible, to be accessible to residents, regardless of ability, language, age, or technological proficiency.
  8. Promotion of Civil Discourse
    The City shall use digital tools to foster civic engagement and community dialogue supporting a culture of respect, inclusion, and shared responsibility.
  9. Empowerment in the Digital Age
    The City may offer educational programs and resources to promote digital competence among residents, recognizing digital literacy as essential to personal agency, family well-being, and participation in civic life.

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If you encounter incorrect or substandard translations, you can help improve them by contributing better translations using Google Translate:

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City of Amarillo: Property Taxes Rebated Per Year by Agreement Type 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts of property taxes rebated per year over the last five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. There were no Chapter 380 property tax rebates in the first two years listed. The total amount increased slightly each year, with a more significant increase in the most recent year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Chapter 311 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$574,947 

$591,249 

$821,350 

Chapter 380 

$0 

$0 

$37,387 

$39,172 

$61,013 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the amount of property taxes rebated in the past five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. For each fiscal year there is vertical column, comprised of two stacked columns, each of which representing the different agreement types. 

City of Amarillo: Number of Tax Abatements Granted Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years each had four active abatements, 2022/23 had five, and 2023/24 and 2024/25 each had seven. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Active Abatements Per Year 

4 

4 

5 

7 

7 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the number of active abatements each year. Each year has one column, with the height indicating number of active abatements in that year.

Amount of Taxes Abated Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts abated over the past five fiscal years from Chapter 312 tax abatement agreements. Each fiscal year shows a larger dollar amount abated, with minor growth over the first three years, a higher increase in the fourth year, and minor growth again in the fifth year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Taxes Abated by City of Amarillo 

$510,061 

$623,017 

$679,849 

$965,261 

$1,143,899 

Total Abated by All Entities Including City of Amarillo 

$1,569,512 

$1,926,332 

$2,103,099 

$2,884,936 

$2,959,496 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount of taxes abated over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount abated. The bar representing taxes abated by the City of Amarillo is sightly offset to the side of the bar representing the amount abated by all participating tax entities for each fiscal year. This shows that the amount abated by the City of Amarillo is a part of the total amount abated by all entities.

City of Amarillo: Taxes Rebated Per Year by Type 

Overview 

This chart shows the dollar amounts rebated by the City of Amarillo from economic development incentive agreements over the past five fiscal years. Each year is broken down by rebate type, including property tax rebates, hotel occupancy tax rebates, and sales tax rebates. Each fiscal year shows a slight increase in total dollars rebated, with a more drastic increase in the most recent fiscal year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Property Tax Rebates 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$612,334 

$630,421 

$882,363 

Hotel Occupancy Tax Rebates 

$686,747 

$753,112 

$794,828 

$871,423 

$808,348 

Sales Tax Rebates 

$0 

$21,046 

$55,528 

$45,881 

$368,716 

 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount rebated by the City of Amarillo for each type of tax rebate over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. The different rebate types are stacked vertically in each fiscal year, with the height representing the total dollar amount rebated.