On June 16, voters in Klein ISD will decide through a Tax Ratification Election whether to increase the district’s maintenance and operations tax rate by 9 cents per $100 of assessed property value, from $1.04 to $1.13. The state requires voter approval for a M&O tax rate above $1.04.

Property owners who reside in the district receive a tax bill based in part on this rate. The current total tax rate in KISD is $1.43. That means if you own a house with a $100,000 valuation, your annual school tax bill is $1,430. However, that is only one part of the tax bill; you might also pay taxes to an emergency services district, a college district, municipal utility district or other entities.

The state has placed a limit on the amount a school district can set as its tax levy. The state limit is $1.17 per $100 valuation for the M&O portion of the tax bill and 50 cents for debt, such as paying down bonds, which is known as the interest and sinking portion of the rate. Since KISD is asking for a new M&O tax rate of $1.13, it cannot seek more than another 4 cents in the future.