Grapeland ISD Approves Proposed Tax Rate

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – The Grapeland Independent School District Board of Trustees met in a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday night, Aug. 19 highlighted by the board’s approval of the 2021-2022 proposed tax rate.

After several other matters had been disposed of, GISD Business Manager Julie Martin presented the trustees with the district’s 2021-2022 proposed tax rate of $1.057 per $100 of property valuation. The 2020-2021 tax rate was $1.1143.

“Our Maintenance and Operations (M&O) rate was $0.872 and our Interest and Sinking (I&S) was $0.185 for a total of $1.057. It went down about six cents from last year,” she explained.

The average tax a property owner in Grapeland ISD will pay is $763.89, Martin added, which represents an increase of $13.24.

“This is due because of the increase in property values. The average property values went up between $5,000 and $5,500 so with us lowering the rate, the increase was only around $13,” Martin said.

The 2021-2022 proposed budget is balanced and comes in at $6,454,427. The district fund balance at the end of the 2020-2021 school year was approximately $4.6 million.

Prior to the tax rate discussion, the Grapeland ISD Maintenance Department was recognized for their efforts over the summer and throughout previous school years.

GISD Superintendent Don Jackson introduced Chris Watson as the new Maintenance Supervisor along with long-term employee Terry Brown. Also recognized for their efforts were Eugene Taylor, Robert Taylor and Christal Peck.

As the meeting continued, the superintendent went on to say after the first two days of school, there were 613 students in the district, with the possibility of a few more coming. Jackson reported there were 162 high school students, 137 junior high students and 314 elementary students.

In other matters presented to the GISD Board of Trustees: