BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD TO DECREASE TAX RATE

  

The Brenham School Board will continue its decrease of the tax rate as values continue to increase.  Trustees set a proposed property tax rate of $.9346 at Monday’s noon meeting.  That is made up of an Interest and Sinking rate of $.08 and a Maintenance and Operations rate of $.8546.  That compares to last year’s overall rate of $.9884 per $100 valuation.  Trustees also agreed to essentially pay off their indebtedness early as they passed a resolution to fund an escrow fund that will pay off the bonds as needed.

The Budget for the upcoming school year was also discussed.  It will includes a 5% midpoint raise which will place the starting teacher pay at $50,000 and another school resource officer.  Although the average daily attendance has been going down each year since COVID hit, that is expected to turn around this year as the new budget is planned on a 2% growth in the student population.  The $50,000,000 budget and the proposed tax rate will be discussed again at a public meeting Monday, August 15 at 6:00 PM before the school board.

In other action, the board approved paying a stipend of $1000 to district staff as the COVID retention pay.  The one time stipend will go to all staff that is active on August 24th.  Trustees also approved the purchase of attendance credits.  The purchase of credits is a formality of Brenham being considered a gap district in the states Robin Hood Plan.