BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSES TAX RATE; PUBLIC HEARING & ADOPTION SET FOR AUG. 12
As Brenham ISD prepares for the possibility of calling a tax rate election this fall for teacher and staff pay raises, the Brenham School Board today (Tuesday) proposed an increase to the property tax rate in the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed rate consists of $0.7122 for maintenance and operations (M&O) and $0.08 for interest and sinking (I&S), totaling $0.7922 per $100 valuation. While the I&S rate is projected to stay the same come formal adoption of the tax rate at the board’s August 12th meeting, the final M&O rate is expected to fall below the proposed rate, due to state compression requirements.
Chief Financial Officer Darrell St. Clair explained that the highest expected rate that could be approved for M&O is $0.6884, which – combined with the $0.08 rate for I&S – would mean the final rate comes out to $0.7684 in the event that a voter approval tax rate election (VATRE) is called at next month’s meeting. The current proposal is higher in order to provide leeway in case of any changes in state calculations, as the district can only adopt a rate at or below the proposal, not above.
Brenham ISD’s existing tax rate is $0.7469 per $100, with the M&O set at $0.6669 and the I&S at $0.08.
Board President Jared Krenek, speaking on the possibility of calling a bond election to address district infrastructure, stressed that the bond would not impact the tax rate because the district has been responsible with its I&S debt. He said most other districts do not have opportunities like this, with Trustee Kyle Hafner adding that Brenham ISD’s $0.08 rate for I&S is 10 cents below the next-lowest school district of 13 schools in the region.
Krenek said the low tax rate is something to be proud of, but it can also come at a detriment to students in situations like what is currently happening with the major repairs needed at campus facilities. Superintendent Clay Gillentine said districts need “a healthy amount of debt” in order to act strategically and avoid having to cover expenses with M&O funding, which could instead be going toward employees.
Gillentine acknowledged that there is a sense of urgency in calling a bond election for November, saying there are emergency situations at the middle school and junior high school, along with other major items that need to be addressed “sooner than later.” Depending on the outcome of the active special session, he said there is “strong consideration” in Austin that this opportunity might only be possible in November, and that the spring will not be an option.
A public hearing on the proposed tax rate and budget will be held at the board’s next regular meeting on August 12th at 6 p.m. at Brenham High School. The meeting will include recommendations from the strategic planning committee on whether to go for a VATRE and/or a bond election. There will also be an item for a reimbursement resolution which pertains to a bond election if it should pass; since the district could not obtain bond proceeds until next year, and some capital projects that would be outlined in the bond are considered emergencies, the resolution allows the district to use the general fund for those projects and reimburse the general fund once the bond proceeds come in.
Trustees also heard details about the newly certified property values released by the Washington County Appraisal District. Certified values in Brenham ISD for the 2025-26 tax year sit at $5,018,946,828, up 3.92 percent from $4,829,513,301 in the current tax year. St. Clair noted that this year’s values are calculating homestead exemptions at the $140,000 approved by state legislators and set to be voted on this fall, while last year’s values had homestead exemptions at $100,000.