Harris County Board of Education holds public hearing on proposed 18.5-mill property tax rate

Harris County — The Harris County Board of Education held a public hearing Aug. 14 on the district’s proposed property tax millage rate of 18.5 mills, a figure the board described as a tentative adoption that would represent a 15.44% increase over the rollback rate of 16.025 mills.

“As chair of the Harris County Board of Education, I'd like to formally call this public hearing to order,” the chair said, noting the hearing was the first of several opportunities for public comment required by law. The board opened a series of meetings so residents could speak about the “tentative adoption” of the 18.5-mill rate and its likely impact on household taxes.

The hearing drew more than a dozen speakers who raised questions about the budget process, whether the district had already contracted for new construction, who would bear the cost of the increase and whether the district could cut spending instead. Jamie Saxon of 285 Rosewood Drive asked whether the district already had a contract for a new school; the district replied it had not reached that contracting stage and was still in capital outlay planning and site…