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Heads up, taxpayers and parents: We’ve audited the upcoming GATESVILLE ISD agenda. There are 3 items targeting parental consent and taxpayer funds that need your immediate attention before the gavel falls.
| 🚨 Alert (LEVEL 9) |
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Voting on Budget and Tax Rate Without Public Documents
The board is scheduled to vote on the final budget for the new school year and set the property tax rate that every homeowner and business will pay (Items 8.F, 8.G, 8.H, 8.I). However, the actual budget document and the official tax rate calculation forms are not attached to the public agenda. The provided attachments are blank cover sheets. This prevents taxpayers from reviewing the spending plan or understanding the true impact of the tax rate before the final vote.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the Gatesville ISD administration and Board of Trustees. ‘Postpone the votes on Items 8.F, 8.G, 8.H, and 8.I until the full proposed budget and the official tax rate calculation worksheet are posted for public review. Taxpayers cannot be asked to fund a budget they haven’t been allowed to see.’
💰 Impact: The entire district budget and the full impact of the new tax levy are undisclosed prior to the vote.
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| ⚠️ Warning (LEVEL 8) |
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Final Vote on 2026 Property Tax Rate
The board will vote to adopt the official property tax rate for the 2026-2027 school year (Item 8.I). The proposed rate is $0.8969 per $100 of valuation. The agenda documents do not include the state-required “no-new-revenue” rate, which is the rate that would raise the same amount of money as last year from the same properties. Without this comparison, it’s impossible for taxpayers to know if this new rate constitutes a tax increase.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Show up to the meeting and ask during public comment: ‘What is the no-new-revenue tax rate, and what is the voter-approval tax rate? How much more in total tax levy will the district collect this year compared to last year under this proposed rate?’ Contact the Gatesville ISD administration to demand this information be published before the vote.
💰 Impact: Potential tax increase masked by the lack of a “no-new-revenue” rate comparison.
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 5) |
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Earmarking $3.1 Million in Reserve Funds
The board is voting on a resolution (Item 8.J) to commit $3.1 million from the district’s unassigned fund balance (its savings account) for specific purposes. This includes $2 million to cover potential shortfalls in state funding and $500,000 for future capital projects. This action locks up a significant amount of taxpayer money, reducing the board’s flexibility and potentially keeping the fund balance higher than necessary without a public discussion on tax relief.
Response
ASK THE QUESTION: Contact the Gatesville ISD Board of Trustees. ‘Regarding Item 8.J, what is the district’s total fund balance, and what percentage does this $3.1 million commitment represent? Has the board considered using a portion of these excess funds for property tax relief instead of committing them to future, potential expenses?’
💰 Impact: $3.1 million in taxpayer funds being moved from a general savings account to restricted-use categories.
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