Texas public school districts are in the process of setting their budgets and property tax rates in line with the new tax reduction measures passed recently by the state legislature.

Lawmakers approved two methods to lower school property taxes for homeowners, increasing the funding to school districts in order to lower or “compress” the portion of the property tax rate that helps to fund regular operations.

Voters are also being asked to approve an increase in the homestead exemption from the current $40,000 to $100,000 in a November constitutional amendment election.

Public notices concerning those proposed budgets and tax rates are appearing in this week’s Monitor for Mineola, Quitman, Alba-Golden and Yantis ISDs.

The notices show a decline in the tax payment for an average home of more than $400.

The notices are calculated assuming that voters approve the increased homestead exemption.

If the proposed budgets and tax rates are finally approved, home owners in the Alba-Golden school district will see a reduction in school property taxes on the average home of $452.80.

The drop for Mineola ISD is calculated at $489.43.

Quitman homeowners would see a decline of $448.19 on average.

And for Yantis ISD, the drop would be $573.31.

The average market value of homes across the county rose for 2023, but thanks to the additional homestead exemption, the taxable value declined.

In addition, the compression of school tax rates helped lower tax rates even more.

For Alba-Golden, Mineola and Quitman ISDs, the planned tax rate for maintenance and operations is 75.75 cents per $100 valuation. Last year that rate was 94.29 cents.

AGISD is proposing a total tax rate of 78.65 cents, a drop of more than 18 cents from last year’s 97.19 cents.

Mineola ISD is proposing a school property tax rate of 97.58 cents. The rate a year ago was $1.165.

Quitman’s proposal of 89.89 cents would be a decline of more than 18 cents from $1.0843 last year.

The difference in the total tax rates is from the interest and sinking funds which pay off school bond debts.

Yantis ISD is proposing a property tax rate of 66.92 cents. It was 85.46 cents a year ago.

Public hearings are set as follows: Alba-Golden, Aug. 28, 6 p.m., 1373 CR 2377.

Yantis, Aug. 28, 6 p.m., 105 W. Oak St.

Quitman, Aug. 21, 6 p.m., 600 N. Winnsboro St.

Mineola, Aug 31, 6 p.m., 1695 W. Loop 564.

Hawkins ISD previously set its tax rate and budget since it is on a June 30 fiscal year, which was prior to the passage of the state’s tax relief package.

According to state law, districts are required to post a summary of the proposed budget on the district’s website or at the central administrative office if the district has no website at the time the Notice of Public Meeting to Discuss Budget and Proposed Tax Rate is published.

Notices may be found on Pages 8 and 9.