The Longview Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a lower property tax rate and new district budget for the 2022-23 year during a special meeting Wednesday, Aug. 31.
Dr. Wayne Guidry, LISD Assistant Superintendent of Finance, said the district is projecting a balanced General Operating budget of $94,214,401, a Debt Service of $27,210,019, and a Food Service Budget of $5,090,196. This total brings the official budget to $126,514,616.
"The budget includes salary increases for employees as well as retention bonuses for returning employees, and addresses rising inflation," he said.
The maintenance and operations tax rate is $.8546 and the interest and sinking tax rate is $.4730 cents for a total tax rate of $1.3276 per $100 valuation. This is a marked decrease from the 2021-22 tax rate, which was $1.41470 per $100 valuation.
It also marks the fourth-straight year of the property tax rate being reduced for Longview ISD property owners.
Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said the district has been cutting the tax rate in recent years, after keeping the same rate stable for nearly a decade.
"The board maintained the same tax rate of $1.5130 from 2010 until 2019 — when the district reduced the rate to $1.4430 — and we've continued to reduce it each year since," he said. "This illustrates how Longview ISD has worked to offset the sharp increase in property tax valuations that are well beyond our control."
While the district has reduced the LISD property tax rate for the last four years, the amount of property taxes collected may increase due to a rise in the value of the property, which is determined by the county appraisal district.
Please click here to download the 2022-23 budget and tax rate:
For questions about the budget or tax rate, please contact the district at ask@lisd.org or call 903-381-2200.
In other business...
During the course of the meeting, the LISD Board of Trustees also:
- APPROVED renewing the annual SRO and Crossing Guard Contracts with Longview Police Department for 2022-23;
- APPROVED Financial Statements for July 2022;
- APPROVED District Appraisers for 2022-23;
- APPROVED Budget Amendment No. 12; and
- APPROVED donations over $5000.
For more info
Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center (1301 E. Young Street), but often set special-called meetings at various locations around the district. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 19, 2022.
For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees please click here.
