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Liberty Hill ISD board weighs tax-rate options and approves targeted pay increases for teachers
Summary
At a July 21 budget workshop, Liberty Hill ISD staff outlined tax-rate scenarios and recommended compensation changes; the board approved $1,200 raises for certain early-career teachers and other retention allotment-backed increases while continuing to consider a voter-approved tax-rate election to shore up fund balance.
The Liberty Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees on July 21 reviewed detailed budget scenarios that could be presented to voters this fall and approved targeted employee pay increases intended to improve retention and recruitment.
District finance and HR staff told trustees they received certified property values from the Williamson Central Appraisal District and that the Texas Education Agency's new compressed floor rate is 0.5689. That calculation means LHISD is at its 50-cent maintenance-and-operations (M&O) cap and would need a voter-approved tax-rate election to add additional "pennies" to local tax rates. Staff presented multiple options: adding five pennies would raise the rate to about $0.61 (the recommended baseline discussed), while up to 12 pennies (three "golden" plus nine additional pennies) would require a voter-approved election and yield different net proceeds after state recapture calculations.
Chief Financial staff outlined homeowner impacts at a median home value ($469,557): depending on appraisal growth and which penny mix is chosen, annual LHISD property taxes could either fall or rise compared with last year. Board members pressed staff to firm up numbers before setting an ask; trustees repeatedly cited the district's declining fund balance (staff reported roughly $15 million at the end of the prior year and an estimated $13 million after current deficits) and said restoring reserves and classroom staffing is a priority.
On staff compensation, the board approved the administration's recommendations for "compensation part B." The motion, moved by Trustee Hargrove and seconded by Trustee Kennedy, passed on a voice vote. Approved steps include a $1,200 increase for classroom teachers in their 0'to'2 years of completed service; the board also ratified the state-funded teacher-retention allotment amounts for more-experienced teachers'$2,500 for teachers with three to four years of service and $5,000 for five or more years where state funding applies'and a $1,200 increase for additional certified staff (librarians, nurses, instructional coaches). The board approved no increase for uncertified classroom teachers until they obtain standard SBEC certification, as presented by staff.
Board members emphasized that state allotments do not cover associated benefits and that local funding must cover the full compensation package. Several trustees said they support pursuing a voter-approved tax-rate election (sometimes referred to in board discussion as a "VADER" or "VATER") to restore long-term stability, but agreed to wait for finalized certified values and additional modeling before approving an election amount.
What happens next: Staff will present updated figures at the board's Aug. 4 meeting, including final certified valuations and precise revenue projections for recommended penny scenarios. The board indicated it intends to keep voters informed about how any additional revenues would be used and to provide post-election transparency about the allocation of funds.
