Property taxes could go up for residents within Fort Bend Independent School District, as the district administration is recommending a 3.5-cent hike in its tax rate for 2009.
The FBISD administration is proposing a maintenance and operations tax rate of $1.04 per hundred dollars in property valuation – the same rate the district currently levies. However, the administration is proposing increasing the debt service tax rate to 26.5 cents per hundred – a 3.5-cent increase over the current 23-cent rate.
If the FBISD Board of Trustees approves a total administration-recommended 2009 ad valorem tax rate of $1.305 per hundred, the district tax bill for the owner of a $200,000 home would be $2,610.
The proposed tax increase comes on the heels of a county-wide property reappraisal by the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District that indicates property values will be increased an average of 10.8% higher than last year, despite a national real estate collapse that plunged property values throughout most of the rest of the country. (Property taxes are calculated based on the FBCAD’s appraisals.)
The FBISD tax-rate recommendations are on the board’s agenda for its regular meeting tonight, at the FBISD Administration Building at 16431 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land.
Also on the agenda is a recommendation to hold a public budget meeting at 5 p.m. on Aug. 10, to receive taxpayers’ opinions about the district’s tax rate and budget for the 2009-2010 school year.
At last year’s public budget and tax rate meeting, state Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land, stirred up FBISD board members by criticizing them prior to their approval of a 2-cent tax rate increase while, Howard said, some other taxing entities were either lowering or maintaining existing rates.
Yet Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts. While the 2008 FBISD tax rate is $1.27 per hundred dollars of property value, Lamar Consolidated ISD’s rate is $1.29765 per hundred, and Katy ISD’s rate is considerably more – $1.5266 per hundred.
19. July 2009 at 12:19 pm
This is the high price TAX we face an pay, when we have a very low voters turnout during May elections, under seven percent. Under one hundred voters turnout an voted on Election day May 09,2009. It looks like the public doesn’t care the price we pay.
17. July 2009 at 7:53 am
I’d rather not change the subject or go off topic.
I just had a point to make, there was no agenda. I’m neither defending or attacking FBISD.
The point? If “Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts.” why would some some still criticize it?”
Thanks to all for participating, it was interesting to watch how some reacted to a positive statement about FBISD.
16. July 2009 at 3:45 pm
By the way FtBendConservative are you going to
The board voted to hold that meeting at 5 p.m. Aug. 10, in the FBISD Board Room at the district’s administration offices on Lexington Boulevard in Sugar Land.
16. July 2009 at 3:40 pm
FtBendConservative:
So why are you supporting moving FBISD into 2nd out of 6 districts in our county for tax rate with this vote when our county ranks as the highest in the state for property taxes?
16. July 2009 at 10:44 am
Even though the FBISD tax rate is lower than LCISD and KISD, you must consider that property values are much higher in the district. Never raise taxes, ever!
16. July 2009 at 10:37 am
If the FBISD school board members approve this tax increase, then it is your fault taxpayers. Call your board member and make it clear you will not permit this. It is easy to vote out politicians that raise taxes.
16. July 2009 at 10:17 am
Sugarlandwatch where does it say I support FBISD’s massive debt? How do you jump to that conclusion for this? If “Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts.” why would some some still criticize it?
You get a ‘F’ also.
16. July 2009 at 9:11 am
FtBendConservative, anwers my question #50
Are you running from TRUTH!!!!
16. July 2009 at 8:28 am
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
16. July 2009 at 8:16 am
FS thanks for playing, you got an ‘F’.
16. July 2009 at 7:50 am
Wrong answer, FBC
My example of a game stumper question was not an opened ended question. You see opened ended questions can have opened ended answers based upon varying opinions as interpreted by the individual or individuals responding. However a factual answer is needed in response to a legitimate question of fact in general everyday life, or as in the play/social entertainment example that I offered as a good game “stumper” question specifically; and/or specific to any legitimate game requiring factual answers in response to factual questions must be based upon facts which can be proven by a factual source, and are thus fact based and cannot be opened ended opinionate ones. And certainly, “not”, opened ended opinionate ones skewed illogically as in the example that you are offering.
No, we did not just play it because your answer is incorrect and so you lost your turn. Plus, game players who purposely give wrong answers and defy game rules are barred from playing the game.
16. July 2009 at 6:43 am
A real game stumper would be:
If “Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts.” why would some some still criticize it?
We just played it..
15. July 2009 at 8:09 pm
The information in post #48 says it all!
A good game “stumper” question would be: What does a county in Texas by the name of Fort Bend County have in common with 7 other cities in New York State? My guess is that no one would know the correct answer without having the prior knowledge of actually knowing the property tax rankings as exhibited in post #48.
15. July 2009 at 6:06 pm
Thank you SLwatch for posting that very telling link to the State Bond Review Board. It was hard to believe that the current FBISD board and superintendent would seek to add another near 420 million to that debt load, but the figures confirm it as do the interviews that much of the last two tax increases have gone to service that debt. Did the district really project a $10 million dollar budget deficit for fiscal 2008-2009? The news doesn’t sound good for taxpayers in FBISD. Good luck! That other poster keeps beating a dead horse with. Does he really think people don’t complain about the debt and tax increases in KISD? Maybe he should go read the instantnewskaty site. Looks like quite a few complain in that district as they should. I just googled taxes and KISD and found numerous sites that seem to be involved with keeping an eye on their board too. I say good for them.
Keep the information coming, I’m sure the public appreciates it. I know I do and just ignore the other chaff. You see I’ve lived in other states and have family that don’t pay the property taxes we do here and to hear and see that this county ranks the highest in Texas is very disconcerting.
Keep up the great work all and ignore the chaff!
15. July 2009 at 5:31 pm
moretransparency as you gotten here late and seem to not understand the discussion, it might help if you went back and read the posts.
the article quoted ““Yet Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts.”
I then added “FBISD is the most criticized of the 3….I wonder why?”
Some tried to take the question off topic to alluding to others (not FT Bend Cty school disctricts)having better schools and lower taxes.
Then posters(including you) alluded to the FtBendNow post on FtBend propert taxes are higher “as a percentage of value”. This study also leaves out state income taxes and inflated property values.
What does that have to do with ““Yet Fort Bend ISD maintained the lowest property tax rate of Fort Bend County’s three biggest school districts.”?
What I’ve learned is it doesn’t matter if FBISD’s tax rate is lower, FBISD will be critized no matter what by some.