McKinney airport funding faces legal challenge as commercial flights near

McKinney airport expansion funding is facing a legal challenge as commercial flights are set to begin this fall, reigniting disputes over how the project was financed. In a March lawsuit, the North Texas Conservation Association (NTCA) alleged the city ignored voters and violated applicable law in repaying debt tied to the airport’s expansion, including a commercial passenger terminal. The Texas attorney general also challenged the funding process. The latest dispute centers on about $30 million in bond funding backed by sales tax revenue issued in 2024 by the McKinney Community Development Corporation, whose bonds were approved by the attorney general. McKinney officials say elections addressed repayment methods, not whether to proceed. The dispute follows prior ballot failures in 2015 and 2023 involving proposed $50 million and $200 million property-tax-backed bonds.