The Liberty Independent School District Board of Trustees is seeking input from LISD voters this November. Trustees are facing challenges that are associated with a rapid decline in property valuations.
The certified appraisal valuations for properties within Liberty ISD dropped drastically over the past year. A major cause is the loss in value of the largest taxpayer in our district, Boomerang Tube, which accounted for 12 percent of the District’s tax property values. The valuation of this company dropped from $115 million in 2020 to $68 million in 2021, which gives the district a loss in valuations of $47 million.
“This is not a challenge that we cannot overcome. It’s a problem due to the decline in property values from Boomerang Tubing,” said Liberty ISD Superintendent Cody Abshier.
Each year, one of the most critical roles of a public-school board of trustees is to set the annual tax rate. Trustees must approve a tax rate that will provide the district with quality education for students. Property values are a primary consideration in driving the board’s decision on setting the tax rate from year to year. Trustees have consistently lowered the tax rate since 2018 as seen in the graph below.
LISD Trustees recently voted unanimously to adopt a tax rate of $1.35131 for the 2021-2022 school year. While this is a higher tax rate than it was in 2019 and 2020, it is lower than rates in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Failure to adopt this tax rate will result in a deficit budget of $1.2 million dollars for 2021-2022 and each year thereafter.
In order for the board approved 2021 tax rate of $1.35131 to take effect, it must be approved by voters in the November general election.
Here is a thought…. reduce your spending instead of raising taxes. That is what us lowly taxpayers must do when we are forced to balance our checkbook. I couldn’t help but notice that LISD decided to give free meals to EVERY student this year. Is that really a necessity? It disturbs me that reducing spending is never a real consideration. Raising taxes is always the first option chosen by most administrators to solve budget shortfall issues. Unfortunately only those who own property pay to educate the children of those who pay nothing or very little. The burden for those of us who actually pay taxes is getting mighty heavy.
The free lunches were part of a State program. Nearly every local district is giving students free lunches as a result.
So the free lunches has nothing to do with the problem.
Truer words never spoken
I agree! The tax payer is not considered in their discussion….someone needs to look out for us and I personally don’t think that is happening.
More illegal invaders means more free spending. Thank the Democrats for the downfall on this country. Anyway, people that have no kids in school should be paying no school taxes. They are NOT our responsibility.
Absolutely ridiculous our property tax has gone up each year for the past three years since we’ve been here and now you want to bring them up again because you can’t balance you’re spending
Has anyone seen a reduction in their taxes, or property value???? What kind of bull are they trying to sell us!?
*Decline* in property valuations??!!?? HUH? Our valuation has done nothing but increase. Our taxes doubled a couple years ago. These folks are living in an alternative universe, not reality.
And as was mentioned, government entities never consider reducing spending, which is how the rest of the world must live. I can’t just decide to “increase my income” like the government can.
Let’s defer to the path of least resistance, raise property taxes again as ISD’s get 2/3rd of that check. Not much bang for the buck anymore, unless you consider the transfer of wealth on the backs of the presently diminishing middle class a success. The Slow Frog Boil of the Communist Manifesto. Maybe just a coincidence. Can’t have God when destruction of the nuclear family is under full assault. Overload the infrastructure dependent upon a Federal Reserve with no real oversight and the economic disaster that is Quantitative Easing. Maybe the LISD could create their own crypto currency to fund the latest multi-cultural propaganda program. Sooner than later raising taxes will not be an option. Critical thought and common sense non existent. Dumbed down by design. That’s what your paying for.
Don’t raise my Taxes, Just take some of my Electrical Fuel Surcharge money from my 800.00 a month light bills and that should help pay for some of that.. Liberty Texas Electrical Monopoly Program….