Northwest ISD publishes notice for June budget and tax-rate hearing; prelim figures show modest revenue change

The Northwest Independent School District board on Monday approved the district’s notice of a public meeting to discuss the proposed budget and tax rate and reviewed preliminary tax and revenue estimates required under Texas’ truth-in-taxation rules.

Jonathan Petusic, staff member (budget presenter), told trustees the notice must be published 10 to 30 days before the public hearing; the scheduled public meeting is June 23. "I hate that it's called truth and taxation because I feel like there's no truth in it," Petusic said, explaining that final certified values and state hold-harmless calculations are not available until later in the summer.

Key preliminary figures: the presenter listed a projected M&O rate of 0.6522 and an I&S rate of 0.421. The administration reported an estimated total taxable value of about $40.4 billion (appraisal value higher), and projected the district’s combined tax rate would generate similar revenues to the prior year under the district’s assumptions. Petusic said the district’s operating fund balance is about $110 million and interest-and-sinking fund balance about $91 million.

Why it matters: the notice triggers required public hearings and allows the board and community to review tax-rate options while final values are certified in July. Because the district’s final tax-rate computation depends on certified property values and recent legislative changes to homestead exemptions, Petusic cautioned that the preliminary numbers could change.

Action: the board approved the notice of public meeting as recommended by the administration (motion by Dr. Rausch; second by Miss Hatfield; vote 7-0). The notice will be published as required and a detailed budget and tax-rate discussion is scheduled for the June 23 board meeting.

Next steps: staff will update the board with certified values when available and present a proposed rate for adoption under the statutory timeline.