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La Porte ISD board adopts $1.0641 tax rate; finance office reports improved estimated fund balance
Summary
Trustees adopted a 2025 property tax rate of $1.0641 after a finance presentation that reported a $6.9 million favorable swing in estimated year‑end results (estimated fund balance ~$55.7M) and discussed recapture obligations and an initial budget amendment.
La Porte ISD trustees voted to adopt Resolution 2025‑11 setting the 2025 property tax rate at $1.0641 per $100 of assessed valuation, district finance staff said. The board approved the measure by voice vote, 6–0–1.
Stacy McDowell presented the fiscal overview and said the district's estimated ending fund balance for fiscal 2025 is about $55.7 million after a favorable adjustment of approximately $6.9 million from earlier estimates. McDowell explained the variance results from conservative budgeting, timing differences tied to encumbrances, and final audit work that completes in November.
McDowell noted the district paid about $35 million in recapture this year and is budgeted to pay roughly $43 million next year. She proposed a first budget amendment that would reduce the adopted $8.2 million deficit by about $600,000 and said the district is awaiting TEA's settle‑up figures.
On the tax-rate resolution, McDowell said the $1.0641 rate includes a 0.012 disaster rate available without election following the Governor's disaster declaration related to the July 2024 storm; the rate breaks down to 0.80022 for maintenance and operations and 0.2619 for debt service. McDowell walked trustees through homeowner‑exemption scenarios to show impacts on a $200,000 and $350,000 house.
The board also adopted Resolution 2025‑12 to certify appraised and taxable values reported by Harris and Chambers counties: total certified appraised valuation of $19,618,231,200 and total certified taxable value of $14,575,111,365. That resolution passed unanimously.
Trustees discussed the long‑term budget pressures, noting payroll is about 86% of the budget, and asked staff to continue monitoring enrollment, attendance and TEA settlement results as the district finalizes the audit and the amended budget.
