Pearland ISD officials held the first of two public meetings Aug. 7 to help inform voters about a potential voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, officials are considering.

The gist

Pearland ISD is facing a shortfall in its fiscal year 2023-24 budget.

According to district documents, the shortfall, which is expected to be about $12.7 million, is tied to several factors, including:
  • Rising costs of goods and services
  • Increased pay for staff
  • Lack of state action to fund public education
  • Declining enrollment
  • Unfunded mandates
The district’s board of trustees will vote on its property tax rate at its Aug. 21 meeting, which is expected to come in at $1.0473 per $100 valuation of a home.

However, the district can vote for a rate higher than that. Officials are expected to propose a rate of $1.1373, which, if approved, would automatically trigger a VATRE.


Whichever tax rate is passed, it will represent the lowest tax rate in the history of the school district, officials said. Last year’s rate was $1.3027.

The cost

If the VATRE were to pass, it would add $11.1 million to the district’s revenue and bring its shortfall down to $0.6 million, officials told Community Impact in an email Aug. 6.

The average taxpayer, meanwhile, is expected to save about $764.18 on the tax bill for a home valued at $240,441 due to recent legislation, Senate Bill 2, that reduces property taxes for residents.


The VATRE is expected to cost residents in PISD about $216, which will reduce savings to about $548, district documents show. This translates to about $18 a month.

What they’re saying

Hitting on a theme from previous PISD board meetings, Superintendent Larry Berger, who led the meeting, talked about the need for the district to bring in more revenue given the recent budgetary struggles.

“Success is not free,” Berger said. “We have lots of success in Pearland ISD, and we want to continue to have that.”


Looking ahead

The meeting Aug. 7 was the first of two public information meetings on the VATRE. The second one will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Virgil Gant Education Support Center, 1928 North Main St., Pearland.

Like the first, the second meeting will be streamed at www.youtube.com/user/thepearlandisd/live.

Both these meetings lead up to the board’s Aug. 21 meeting, where the board will vote on its new tax rate.


If approved, it will be on the ballot in November.