Birdville Independent School District trustees on Aug. 28 adopted a total tax rate of 1.18654 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025 and approved several fiscal actions including a 2025–26 budget amendment, acceptance of a bid for surplus property and a resolution calling a portion of the district’s unlimited tax school building bonds for early redemption.

The board opened a required public hearing on the 2025–26 tax rate and certified values before taking action. Dr. Glenn, who presented the hearing, said the notice was posted in the Tarrant County Commercial Recorder and that the district “is required by law to hold this meeting prior to passing the tax rate.” He presented the proposed maintenance and operations (M&O) rate of 0.7869, the debt-service rate of 0.39964 (a decrease of 0.01176 from 2024–25) and a total proposed tax rate of 1.18654 (a decrease of 0.01176).

The board asked questions about how the proposed homestead-exemption increase on the November ballot would affect certified values; Dr. Glenn confirmed that the certified values used for the tax calculations had taken into account the proposed $140,000 homestead exemption. Trustee comment emphasized that the district’s M&O rate is set through a state formula and that the district primarily controls the interest and sinking (I&S) portion. Trustee Davis moved to adopt the tax levy resolution and the motion was seconded by Trustee Drees; the vote was unanimous.

Trustees also approved a 2025–26 budget amendment for the general and debt-service funds, accepted a $1,400,000 bid from Sunday Sky Properties for surplus property (subject to contract), and adopted a resolution calling a portion of the district’s unlimited-tax school building bonds series 2016 for redemption prior to maturity. The motions for these actions were moved and seconded by board members as recorded in the meeting and each passed unanimously.

During the public comment portion (separate from the hearing), resident and commenter Eric Krial presented a packet of data on taxable values and argued that county appraisal practices and a multi-year reappraisal (“freeze”) distorted values, increasing the planning difficulty for school budgets. Krial said taxable value for school districts “is down about 1 and a half billion” and that protests contributed to lower market values. He urged the board to rely on accurate appraisals and annual valuations.

Board members repeated a point required by state notice language — that adopting the tax rate produces an increase in taxes — and clarified for the public that, under the state’s required wording, the motion text can read as an increase even when the adopted combined rate is slightly lower than the previous year. Trustees noted the district’s adopted debt-service portion is below what was projected for the bond election and reiterated that M&O is largely affected by the state’s formula and certified values provided by the appraisal district.

Actions taken at the meeting were recorded as unanimous votes. The board signaled that the district will continue to monitor certified values, state funding rules and the local impact of the homestead-exemption proposals that will appear on the November ballot.

Less-critical fiscal items adopted as part of the meeting’s consent and action agenda included standard personnel items approved as presented, and a calendar schedule change for November and December meetings. No public speaker addressed the tax-rate action during the public hearing portion; the hearing closed before trustees went into closed session and later reconvened to take the recorded actions.