As Texans continue to face financial pressure, several Central Texas school districts are asking taxpayers to approve higher property taxes or authorize millions of dollars in new debt. From an $81 million bond in the Waco area to a $400 million package in Manor, these proposals raise important questions about spending priorities, fiscal discipline, and the long-term costs taxpayers will bear.
Manor ISD: $400 Million in New Debt
Manor ISD is asking residents to approve $400 million in bonds, including $237 million for facility expansion and consolidation, $140 million for facility and equipment upgrades, $10.5 million for security, and $8.5 million for technology.
The district claims1 the package will not increase the average homeowner’s total school tax bill compared with the previous year, while also acknowledging that its tax rate would increase by 3.85 cents per $100 of taxable value.
According to Manor ISD’s bond information, the package includes projects ranging from campus renovations to expansions and new technology purchases.
A lower projected tax bill for the current year only, does not eliminate the underlying cost of borrowing $400 million: bonds are debt, and that debt must be repaid, with interest, with more taxes coming out of families’ pockets for decades to come.
Robinson ISD: An $81 Million Bond Proposal
Robinson ISD is seeking $81.21 million in bonds, primarily to replace its existing junior high school, built in 1969, along with other improvements.
The district estimates a tax rate impact of 14.47 cents per $100 of taxable property value. For a home with a market value of approximately $334,836, the projected impact is $281.88 per year.
According to Robinson ISD’s tax information,2 the district’s total tax rate has declined since 2015, but a declining rate does not mean lower property taxes if appraisals are higher, nor does it make additional borrowing cost-free. The debt is paid for by taxpayers.
Georgetown ISD: Higher Taxes for Operating Expenses
Georgetown ISD’s proposed voter-approval tax rate election3 (VATRE) would ratify a total tax rate of $1.1106 per $100 of taxable value. That is a net 6-cent increase from the prior year: the maintenance and operations (M&O) rate would rise by 9 cents to $0.7831, partly offset by a 3-cent drop in the debt (I&S) rate.
The district’s ballot language projects a 12.8% increase in maintenance and operations tax collections, amounting to approximately $17.48 million compared with the preceding year.
Even with declining property values limiting the year-over-year impact on many individual bills, this is still a tax-rate increase that authorizes higher collections. Taxpayers in Georgetown will decide whether to approve more money for the district or require it to live within existing resources, something the district’s Prop A webpage admits is an option.
Leander ISD: Another Tax Increase
Leander ISD is asking taxpayers to approve three additional cents on its maintenance and operations tax rate, which the district says “would generate $6.7 million annually after state recapture.” Leander ISD cites ongoing financial challenges despite previous cost reductions. Its school funding election announcement4 explains the proposal.
For a home with the district’s average taxable value of $460,292, the district projects an annual tax bill increase of $27.56 compared with the previous year, increasing the tax burden on hard-working residents and furthering the cost of living crisis.
Taxpayers Deserve Better Fiscal Discipline
Bonds create long-term debt obligations that must be paid with more tax levies over time, while VATREs authorize higher taxes beyond what is already allowed by law, to support operating expenses. Both place additional financial demands on property owners.
School districts should not treat higher taxes and new borrowing as default solutions to financial challenges. Taxpayers deserve disciplined budgets, justified expenditures, and accountability for every dollar collected. And yet, far too often they are treated like a bottomless piggybank.
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