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Castleberry ISD keeps tax rate at $1.2469; board cites homestead-exemption changes as cause of required disclosure
Summary
The board adopted a $1.2469 per $100 tax rate for 2025–26 and approved a budget amendment; CFO said the district's tax rate did not increase in practice, but state homestead-exemption changes require statutory language that reads like a 13–13.5% increase. Both motions passed 7–0.
The Castleberry Independent School District board on Tuesday adopted a property tax rate of $1.2469 per $100 of assessed value — an M&O rate of 0.7469 and a debt rate of 0.5000 — and approved budget amendment No. 2 for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The board voted unanimously on both items (7–0).
CFO William Wootton told the board the district is keeping the same adopted tax rate but that changes in state homestead exemptions created a statutory comparison that must be disclosed as an effective 13–13.5% increase. "The tax rate stayed the same, dollar $24.69," Wootton said, adding that the mandated percentage language is a product of the state's formula and does not change the district's adopted rate or, he said, homeowners' average bills. Wootton explained the difference between market values, appraised values and taxable assessed values and said the increase in standard homestead exemption (from $100,000 to $140,000) and the additional exemption for seniors will lower taxable values for many homeowners.
Board members asked for clarification about the 'no-new-revenue' (effective) rate and how the homestead-exemption changes affect that calculation. Wootton said the statutory comparison is required by law and that the tax attorney had confirmed the disclosure language; he emphasized that the district's taxable collections and the average homeowner's bill are expected to fall because exemptions increased. The budget amendment passed after discussion about function-level reallocations; staff said the amendment balanced fund 199 functions with no impact to the fund balance.
Votes at a glance: Consent agenda (as modified) — approved 7–0; Motion to pull BDB from consent — approved 7–0; Tax rate adoption — approved 7–0; Budget amendment No. 2 — approved 7–0.
