Voters approve GISD tax rate hike

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) - Voters in the Georgetown Independent School District have decided to raise the property tax rate by four cents from $1.04 to $1.08.

GISD said 3,486 citizens voted in the special election -- 59 percent of those voters decided the district needed this money.

For the average home value of $194,000, that would mean an increase of $78 a year. It would help the district close a $653,674 budget gap and have another $1 million leftover to raise teacher salaries for the first time in three years, replace aging technology and old school buses.

Over the last two years, GISD has lost $7.2 million in state funding.

To cut costs, the district moved 22 school buses to a new location closer to their routes which is cutting $211,000 in fuel and labor costs.

The district has also saved $32,000 by downsizing dumpsters and having them emptied less often.

The TRE will not increase the tax rate for those citizens over 65 or disabled who have had their taxes frozen.