Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Levy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ISD 197 board adopts slightly reduced property tax levy for 2026
Summary
The School Board of Independent School District 197 adopted a final property tax levy of $39,496,396.22 for taxes payable 2026, a 0.8% decrease from the prior year, citing enrollment shifts and debt-excess adjustments; the measure passed unanimously (5-0).
The School Board of Independent School District 197 unanimously approved a final property tax levy of $39,496,396.22 for taxes payable in 2026 at its Dec. 8 meeting.
Brian Schultz, the district’s director of finance, presented the legally required Truth‑in‑Taxation hearing and reviewed the state constitutional and statutory framework that governs school funding. Schultz said the district’s General Fund revenues for 2025–26 total $128.8 million and General Fund expenditures are $104.9 million. He noted the state’s per‑pupil general education formula allowance is $7,481 and said closing the gap to inflation since 2002–03 would require roughly a 19% increase to that allowance.
The administration recommended the final levy equal to or lower than the proposed levy, taking into account enrollment changes and a larger debt excess reduction than the prior year. The board voted 5–0 to adopt the levy and authorized the School Board clerk to certify it to the county auditor.
Why it matters: The levy sets the district’s tax certification to the county auditor and affects local property tax bills. District officials framed the change as a modest reduction driven by enrollment and debt calculations; state funding formulas remain outside the board’s direct control.
What’s next: The clerk will sign and submit the levy certification to the county auditor by the statutory deadline.
