The Huffman ISD Board of Trustees voted Tuesday morning to raise property taxes by one percent.
That may come as a relief to many residents who packed today’s school board meeting, fearing their taxes could go up as much as 25 percent.
Why the confusion?
Board of Trustees President Kirk Vaughn said it was never their intention to raise taxes by 25 percent, but when they posted the public notice about an upcoming vote, it included the maximum tax rate allowed, which is 25 percent.
Vaughn told KPRC 2′s Cathy Hernandez that people misinterpreted that information.
“So there was confusion because the proposed rate that was in the posting was one for the full maximum but that wasn’t what we opted to do. Again we made a promise to our community that we were gonna be at a $1.07 after the bond passed, and so the rate that we passed today was a $1.07 keeping our word that we gave to them.”
Many residents in Huffman were concerned because a tax hike that high would’ve raised the average homeowner’s property taxes by more than $500 a year.
Money from the one percent hike will cover storm damage.
SEE ALSO: Harris County commissioners approve 2025 budget, 8% property tax rate increase
Some Huffman history
Residents passed a $91-million bond last year that Huffman ISD said was to address needs across the growing district.
Huffman ISD has been under investigation after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the district for using state resources to influence political races through illegal electioneering.
The suit claims during a school meeting at Hargrave High School, the Huffman ISD Superintendent instructed faculty to vote for 16 specific politicians who supported certain policies.
The district denied those allegations but later agreed to an injunction prohibiting the district to advocate or support any political candidates using district funds or resources.
The district didn’t offer someone to interview with us, but their spokesperson says they are experiencing a budget deficit, just like what other districts are facing.