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CFO presents 2025–26 budget update: $2.2M revenue increase, state funding down; board told average taxpayer cost may fall
Summary
CFO Casey Russell told trustees updated property values raised local revenue by about $2.2 million while state foundation funding declined; staff said the district's property-tax levy rose and certain tax-rate components changed, and officials expect to present the adoption item in August.
Casey Russell, the district chief financial officer, gave the board a second update on the 2025–26 budget and said updated property values produced an estimated $2.2 million increase in available revenue. Russell reported the district's calculated state revenue (foundation school fund) decreased from about $85.2 million to $82.3 million while the current‑year property‑tax levy increased from about $82.4 million to $87.5 million.
Russell said the changes altered the percentage mix of state versus local revenue and that the district's interest-and-sinking (I&S) component and overall tax-rate calculations changed accordingly; she told trustees the I&S rate is lower under the new numbers and that the district's overall tax rate will be lower by roughly 6.5 cents. Russell also said the average amount a taxpayer will pay is expected to fall by about $360, though she prefaced that figure as an estimate.
Trustees discussed legislative-era ‘‘compression’’ and taxing limits, teacher‑compensation choices, and the district's two‑year planning efforts. Russell said salary increases account for much of the new spending in the preliminary budget and that the district will present the formal budget for adoption at a future board meeting in August; any later changes would require an amended budget.
Board members praised the district's competitive average teacher pay in Region 7 and noted some job classifications the state did not include in recent statewide compensation guidance; trustees said Tyler ISD has made local adjustments to help retain staff. The board approved several consent‑agenda items (items a, b, d and e) and pulled item c — the student code of conduct — for a separate discussion; staff said item c would return for board consideration.
