Spring - Klein Edition | October 2022

News from the Spring & Klein area NEWS BRIEFS Klein ISD trustees lower property tax rate for fourth consecutive year

BY HANNAH ZEDAKER

and transparency while focusing on cost-saving measures for our taxpayers.” According to district documents, the adopted tax rate includes $0.855 to be used for maintenance and operations and $0.375 to be used for debt service. The rate is based on a total appraised value of more than $34 billion and a taxable value of roughly $28.5 billion, according to estimates provided by the Harris County Appraisal District. While the new property tax rate represents a 5.38% year-over-year decrease, the HCAD reported more than 95% of residential properties countywide had year-over-year value increases of at least 20% in 2022. KISD Chief Financial O•cer Dan Schaefer said he is hopeful the lower tax rate will help o–set rising property values throughout the district. “We are excited that the trend of a lower tax rate

TRACKING TAXES

For the fourth consecutive year, the Klein ISD board of trustees voted to lower the district’s prop- erty tax rate during its Sept. 12 board meeting. Trustees approved a scal year 2022-23 tax rate of $1.23 per $100 valuation for the upcoming scal year, down $0.07 from the FY 2021-22 tax rate of $1.30 per $100 valuation. According to a Sept. 12 dis- trict news release, the new tax rate is KISD’s lowest tax rate in 30 years. “We are so pleased that our board of trustees adopted the lowest tax rate in 30 years,” board President Ronnie Anderson said in a statement. “I am grateful for the partnership of our board of trustees and district leadership in maintaining our tradition of excellence, always working together to meet the needs of our students and maintain our high level of nancial integrity

Over the past Œve Œscal years, Klein ISD’s property tax rate has decreased by $0.20, or nearly 14%. Klein ISD property tax rate (per $100 valuation)

$1.43

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23

$1.36 $1.3373 $1.3001

$1.23

SOURCES: KLEIN ISD, HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT† COMMUNITY IMPACT

continues,” Schaefer said in a statement. “This $0.07 reduction will certainly help our taxpayers as it will directly o–set a portion of the impact of property value growth on their tax bills.”

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare CEO resigns; board of commissioners appoints interim replacement BY WESLEY GARDNER

Spring ISD board OKs 4% property tax rate drop

BY EMILY LINCKE

sinking rate of $0.4. The M&O rate funds SISD’s general fund budget, while the I&S rate funds debt service from bonds, Chief Financial O•cer Ann Westbrooks said. The value of taxable property within SISD’s boundaries totals $18.7 billion, according to Aug. 31 certied values from the Harris County Appraisal District, West- brooks said Sept. 13. Although SISD’s tax rate decreased, the taxable property values increased by more than 14% compared to the previous scal year, Westbrooks said Sept. 8. “Just because we’re lowering our tax rate does not necessarily equal a lower tax bill for our taxpayers because their values have gone up,” Westbrooks said Sept. 13.

On Sept. 13, Spring ISD trustees unanimously approved a new tax rate for scal year 2022-23 that represented a 4% decrease from FY 2021-22’s rate. Trustees approved a total tax rate of $1.2546 per $100 valuation, a decrease of almost $0.06 compared to the FY 2021-22 tax rate of $1.3128 per $100 valuation. The new tax rate is the lowest in more than 20 years, according to a Sept. 14 news release from SISD. Before approving the tax rate Sept. 13, trustees held a nal discussion with district leaders in a Sept. 8 workshop. SISD’s total tax rate is made up of a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.8546 and an interest and

adjourned to executive session to discuss Hooten’s resignation. Upon returning, board President Karen Plummer called for a vote to accept the resignation, and the board unanimously approved the motion without discussion. Board members then unanimously approved the appointment of Chebra as interim CEO. Chebra serves as the district’s chief operating o•cer. “I look forward to the opportunity to prove myself to the board and the community that I’d be a good choice for the permanent position,” he said. Chebra has previously served as the executive director of Jersey City Medical Center EMS and led JFK EMS in Edison, New Jersey.

Harris County Emergency Services

District No. 11 commissioners approved the appointment of Jamie Chebra as interim CEO of ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare on Sept. 27. The appointment follows the Sept. 20 resignation of Doug Hooten, who was appointed ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare’s CEO in December 2020. Commissioners had not yet given a reason for Hooten’s departure, and Hooten declined to comment as of press time. Early during the Sept. 27 meeting, the board Jamie Chebra

METRO adopts largest budget in agency history

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County adopted the largest budget in its history for FY 2022-23, totaling nearly $1.8 billion.

BY RENEE FARMER

The agency’s $570.7 million capital budget increased 106% from the previous year with a $125.5 million investment in METRONext, $54.7 million for the West Bellfort Park & Ride lot and $21.6 million for new electric buses. The operating budget also saw a nearly 20% increase to $855.2 million due to the e–ects of in¡ation on fuel, cost of living and materials, said Phil

Operating budget: $855.2M Capital budget: $570.7M Transfer to the General Mobility Program: $204.3M Debt service budget: $132.7M

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County adopted the largest budget in its history for scal year 2022-23, totaling nearly $1.8 billion. The budget, approved by METRO during its Sept. 22 board meeting, addresses rising operation costs and includes a slew of capital improve- ments with a 38% hike from last year’s $1.3 billion budget.

Total: $1.76B

SOURCE: METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY†COMMUNITY IMPACT

Brenner, METRO director of manage- ment and budget, at a Sept. 15 Finance and Audit Committee meeting. “Overall the budget was a little

bit more challenging this year, but ... it allows the board to plan for the future,” Board Member Terry Morales said.

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SPRING KLEIN EDITION • OCTOBER 2022

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