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Board presses district on taxpayer impact and efficiency measures amid FY27 millage hearing
Summary
Board members asked staff why homeowners could see higher bills if the millage stays the same and whether additional cost savings could lower the rate; staff described central-office reviews, vacancy savings and program realignment as ways to avoid increasing the budget.
Board members used the first millage hearing to press district staff for plain-language explanations of tax mechanics and to ask whether further efficiencies could produce a lower millage.
"It has really to do with the assessed and appraised value," Chief Financial Officer Masana Millard said in response to a board member's question about why some homeowners may pay more even if the rate is unchanged. She explained that certified digest changes and reassessments—rather than the millage rate itself—can raise individual tax bills.
Board member Gaspar asked whether the general fund receives only a small federal contribution and whether the district has explored cutting another tenth of a mill. Masana Millard told the board that central-office reviews, the use of vacancies, and reprioritizing discretionary budgets allowed the district to align funds toward high-impact instructional priorities while holding the millage steady for FY27.
The exchange underscored the board's interest in both clear public-facing explanations of taxpayer impact and continued internal reviews of efficiencies as the district prepares for the final adoption vote.
