Graham ISD board approves budget, tax rate

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees approved their budget and tax rate for 2021-2022 following a public hearing held Monday. The board accepted a tax rate which was lowered from the previous two years.

The board approved the proposed budget and tax rate for 2021-2022 during their meeting Wednesday, Aug. 11, and set a date for a public hearing of Monday, Aug. 30. The accepted tax rate, which the last two years has been $1.277 per $100 valuation, the lowest rate since 2013, was lowered again to $1.274 per $100 valuation.

The approved maintenance and operations tax rate was lowered from $0.9964 to $0.9634, and the interest and sinking tax rate was proposed at the same rate of $0.3106, for a total tax rate of $1.274 per $100 valuation. The tax rate was the highest rate the district could adopt before requiring a voter approval at an election.

According to the GISD budget and tax rate public notice, the total taxable value of all property increased $17,649,731 from $811,323,442 to $828,973,153, based on values from the Young Central Appraisal District. GISD Assistant Superintendent/Finance Director Don Davis said Aug. 11 that a big percentage of local values are driven by oil and gas and in the past have decreased when oil and gas have fallen.

For the rest of the story, see the Sept. 1 edition of The Graham Leader.