Questions

A Bond Advisory Committee with approximately 35 parents, staff members, and community leaders toured the district and reviewed data to identify potential needs and make a recommendation regarding a bond election. The Board of Trustees unanimously accepted the committee’s recommendation.

Needville ISD is complying with a state law that requires certain projects, including athletic facilities, to be listed as a separate proposition.

This bond package is a 6-year plan that will be done in phases.

Proposed Phase One:
New Junior High
New Elementary
Security at All Campuses
Technology at All Campuses
Baseball/Softball Complex

Proposed Phase Two:
High School Additions
Blue Jay Stadium Upgrades

By law, bond funds cannot be used for payroll expenses or any daily operational costs such as utilities, supplies, fuel, and insurance.  Instead, bond funds can only be used for new buildings, additions and renovations, land acquisition, technology infrastructure and equipment, or school buses.

The proposed total tax rate would be $1.475, an increase of approximately 18 cents.  For a $200,000 NISD home, this would mean an increase of $24.23 a month. A personal tax calculator and other information related to the tax impact are located on the Tax Impact page.

The district’s total tax rate for the last 10 years:

2013 - $1.64 per $100 value
2014 - $1.64
2015 - $1.59
2016 - $1.57
2017 - $1.54
2018 - $1.54
2019 - $1.53
2020 - $1.46
2021 - $1.43
2022 - $1.31
2023 - $1.29

Needville ISD has worked hard to lower the tax rate and create capacity to be able to call for a bond to build schools. NISD has decreased the tax rate 35 cents since 2015 because we knew additional facilities would be needed. While taxes will increase from where they currently are, the tax rate will not be what they once were before. If the bond passes, it will increase the tax rate 18 cents and return the tax rate to where it was in 2020.

Unfortunately, the district does not control the CAD values assigned to property.

A school district’s tax rate is comprised of two components or “buckets”. The first bucket is the Maintenance and Operations budget (M&O), which funds daily costs and recurring or consumable expenditures such as teacher and staff salaries, supplies, software and utilities. The second bucket is the Interest and Sinking budget (I&S), also known as Debt Service, and that is for longer-term capital improvements approved by voters through bond elections. I&S funds cannot by law be used to pay M&O expenses, which means that voter-approved bonds cannot be used to increase teacher salaries or pay rising costs for utilities and services.

Yes, the tax impact of $24.23 a month for a $200,000 valuation is the same if both Proposition A and Proposition B pass as it would be if only Proposition A passes.

No.  By law, if you receive an Age 65 or Older Exemption, your homestead tax rate cannot be raised above the frozen level unless you make significant improvements to your home.  A significant improvement would be anything beyond normal maintenance or repair, such as building a swimming pool or adding a garage or game room.

Under state law, if you have applied for and received the Age 65 Freeze on your homestead, your school taxes CANNOT be raised above their frozen level unless you make significant improvements or additions to your home. To apply for the Age 65 freeze, contact your county’s Central Appraisal District.

• Fort Bend County – fbcad.org – 281-344-8623

Early voting takes place from April 24 to May 2, and you can cast a ballot at any voting location during this time. Election Day is Saturday, May 6. Visit Fort Bend County Elections website for a list of polling locations.

Anyone at least 18 years of age and living within the boundaries of Needville ISD is eligible to vote.  You must be registered by Thursday, April 6 in order to participate in this election.

You can check your voter registration status at www.votetexas.gov.

If you need to update your address, you can simply fill out the change online.