• Voters Support Clear Creek ISD Propositions

    Propositions A, B and C each passed by plurality vote, according to the unofficial vote results.

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Watch the October 24 Election Information Livestream

The CCISD Total Tax Rate will be 14 Cents Lower than Last Year Even with Voter Approval of the Tax Rate Election and Bond Propositions

How can the total tax rate be lower if additional funding is approved by voters?

The state legislature passed Senate Bill 2 in the last legislative session to provide property tax relief to homeowners. As a result, Clear Creek ISD’s Maintenance & Operations (M&O) rate has decreased 26.54 cents and the overall tax rate has decreased by 33.54 cents since 2019.

As Taxable Assessed Values have increased, it has created additional bonding capacity for Clear Creek ISD. CCISD can afford to issue the $302 million worth of bonds at the current Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate of $0.2700 per $100 valuation. This means that the tax rate would not increase as a result of voters approving the two bond propositions.

Taxes Due Calculator


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*YOU MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION. 

Estimated Property Tax Due:
If VATRE and Bond passes: $
($0.9746 total tax rate)

If VATRE and Bond fail: $
($0.9446 total tax rate)

The above calculations include the assumption that Senate Bill 2 will pass by voters in November which will raise homestead exemptions to $100,000. 

Other exemptions available: Over 65 exemption and Disabled Exemption. These exemptions must be applied for and granted by the Galveston and Harris Central Appraisal Districts.

The total annual increase/decrease in your 2023 tax bill is dependent upon your assessed value growth. To calculate the difference subtract the result under each scenario from your 2022 Clear Creek ISD tax due. You can view your 2023 assessed value and 2022 tax due by searching for your property in the Galveston Central Appraisal Districts Property Search or the Harris Central Appraisal Districts Property Search.

Proposition Details

The Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to include a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) and a Bond Election on the November 7 ballot. Registered voters residing within Clear Creek ISD attendance zone will be asked to consider three propositions that would generate additional funding to support educational programs, staff salaries, facility repairs and equipment replacements, and technology.

VATRE
Prop A: Funding for Staff & Programs

$17.5 million in day-to-day operations funding annually

$0.03 Cent M&O Tax Rate Increase per $100 valuation

  • Funds CCISD student programs, school safety, salaries, and insurance

  • Generates 80% in matching state funds and those funds stay local

  • Taxpayers will see a 14-cent tax rate reduction

Bond
Prop B: School Improvements

$265 million in school bond proposal

$0.0 Cent I&S Tax Rate Increase per $100 valuation

  • Priority repairs and replacements of school systems such as HVAC, roofs, life safety, security, and school buses

  • Expand cybersecurity capabilities

  • Replace musical instruments and athletic equipment

  • Expand the East Agriculture Facility to meet program demand

Bond
Prop C: Instructional Technology

$37 million in technology bond proposal. Short term bonds.

$0.0 Cent I&S Tax Rate Increase per $100 valuation

  • Purchase student and staff computers

Tax Impact

In the 88th Legislative Session, Senate Bill 2 was approved which lowers school property tax rates. Senate Bill 2 also increases the Homestead Exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 if approved by voters in November.

For CCISD taxpayers, the Maintenance & Operations Tax Rate will be reduced by 17 cents. Clear Creek ISD is asking voters to consider approving a modified tax rate including three of those pennies to cover costs of day-to-day operations.

If the Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) is approved by voters on November 7, a homeowner of an averaged-price home of $385,000 would see an annual savings of $670 compared to $750 which is an $80 difference.

The proposed school bonds for repairs, renovations, and technology, would not result in a tax rate increase. The Interest and Sinking Tax Rate, what school districts use to pay off debt related to selling bonds, would remain at .27 cents.

For/Against Impact of VATRE & Bonds

If approved by voters in November, the VATRE will cost a taxpayer approximately $80.00 from their tax savings under Senate Bill 2.

*calculations are based on a $385,000 home.

  • Reduces the tax rate by 14 cents

  • Saves $670* on annual taxpayer bill

  • Generates $17.5 million in funding

  • Reduces the tax rate by 17 cents

  • Saves $750* on annual taxpayer bill

  • Does not generate additional funding to address a budget shortfall and capital and technology items.

School Funding Basics

School Funding Basics

Want to learn more about school funding? Enroll in our School Funding Basics online course.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • State law requires that school districts seek voter approval to raise their maintenance and operations tax rate above a prescribed amount. The election is referred to as a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE).

  • Under current law, the State requires public school districts to lower their tax rate when local property values increase, essentially limiting the general revenue school districts are allowed to keep or receive to the same level it was in 2019.

    While our local property owners have seen exponential increases in their property values, your local school district does not financially benefit from it on the Maintenance and Operations Tax Rate due to what is known as tax rate compression.

    The State, in 2019, set what it calls a Basic Allotment per student. It is $6,160. This is also dependent on the average daily attendance of students. For example, if the average daily attendance is at 95%, Clear Creek ISD receives $5,852 per student. Clear Creek ISD’s average daily attendance rate has declined since COVID-19, adding to the financial challenges. Want to learn more about school funding, enroll in our School Funding Basics online course.

    Schools no longer have the same buying power as they did in 2019 when the $6,160 basic allotment was set. According to the Consumer Price Index, average inflation since 2019 has increased by 17%. That means in order to have the same buying power as they did after 2019, the basic allotment would need to be over $7,207.

  • In total, the VATRE, if approved, would give the CCISD access to approximately $17.5 million in additional revenue, which is less than 1% of the general budget, to pay for inflationary costs associated with running a school district. If approved, this would not result in a tax rate increase due to tax rate compression by the State. Without passing a VATRE, the district would not receive the additional state funding and the District would have to make significant expenditure reductions.

  • Since 2022, we have eliminated over 140 staff positions totaling $9 million in payroll expenditures. We have internally worked diligently to identify ways to run as efficiently as possible such as making changes to our energy management program and thoroughly reviewing our software product costs and utilization. We are closely reviewing all departmental budgets to identify cost savings. Unfortunately, the funds generated from our identified savings are needed to cover new costs associated with rising inflation.

    The superintendent formed a CCISD Strategic Budget Team which was tasked with developing a set of considerations to address these challenges. The committee overwhelmingly preferred seeking a tax rate increase from voters prior to impacting student programs, classroom sizes, and compensation plans. It is important to maintain a competitive position to recruit and retain employees in a field which is increasingly challenging to staff.

  • A VATRE is for the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Tax Rate that supports the General Fund or day-to-day operations, such as maintaining student programs, retaining quality teachers and upholding safety and security standards. A bond election is for the Interest and Sinking (I&S) Tax Rate that supports the Debt Service Fund to pay bonds that finance things like new buildings, renovations, buses and equipment for safety and security.

  • The district’s tax rate is made up of two components: (1) maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate, and (2) interest and sinking (I&S), also known as debt service tax rate.

    The M&O tax rate is used to fund the day-to-day operations of the district, including teacher and staff salaries, utilities, books, electronic devices, student supplies, district insurance, maintenance and custodial supplies, transportation, mental health needs, and other items to educate our students.

    The I&S tax rate can only be used to pay the principal and interest payments on bonds sold to construct and furnish district facilities. It cannot be used to fund the district’s operating costs.

  • If the VATRE passes, it will not increase the M&O tax rate, meaning no impact to that portion of your taxes.

    In Clear Creek ISD, we have one of the lowest tax rates in the region and the State and if this proposal is supported by the community, the District will continue to have one of the lowest tax rates in the region and Texas.

    The State does allow school districts access to additional pennies known as Golden pennies. Golden pennies are attractive because they generate additional local revenue and state revenue. And all these funds stay local. In order to access three of the Golden Pennies, the school district is required to hold an election to seek voter approval.

  • If the VATRE passes, the new funding will be available to serve students during the current fiscal year.

CCISD Financial Awards and Recognitions

The District has been recognized by state, national and international organizations for strong stewardship of tax dollars along with efficient budgeting and financial reporting practices. The District currently receives the following:

  • Above Standard Achievement by the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST)

  • Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)

  • Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

  • Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)

  • AA credit rating by Standard & Poor’s and AA+ by Fitch