‘We’re not allowed to go any lower’: Mansfield ISD adopts slightly higher tax rate

Mansfield ISD adopted a slightly higher property tax rate for the 2024-25 school year, increasing the average homeowner’s tax bill by about $485.

The new tax rate is $1.1469 per $100 of valuation — less than a quarter of a cent decrease from the district’s 2023-24 school year rate of $1.1492. With higher property appraisals, property tax payers likely will pay more in taxes to the school district.

The adopted tax rate is about 2.3 cents higher than Mansfield ISD’s no-new-revenue tax rate, the rate the district would need to adopt to bring in the same amount of revenue as the previous year.

Two smaller rates form the overall property tax: the maintenance-and-operations rate and debt service rate. The maintenance-and-operations rate funds day-to-day operations, including instruction, curriculum, teachers and staff compensation. The debt service rate is used to pay off debts, such as the district’s bond program.

Mansfield ISD’s debt service rate stayed at 36 cents for the fourth year in a row. The district’s maintenance-and-operations rate, which is effectively in the hands of the Texas Education Agency, decreased to 78.69 cents.

TEA calculates the maximum rate a district can levy based on the statewide increase in average property values and the district’s average property value increase. Texas saw property values increase an estimated 2.87%, while Mansfield ISD saw property values increase 8.05%.

Because Mansfield ISD saw a higher increase than statewide averages, the district’s maximum levy rate is the lowest possible rate allowed by state law.

“We were at the floor, and we could go even lower, but we’re not allowed to go any lower,” said Michele Trongaard, associate superintendent of business and finance, at the board meeting.

The tax rate is in line with the rates the district estimated when it adopted its budget in June. Trongaard said the rate change will have a negligible effect on the district’s general funding, which is more affected by enrollment.

How does the new tax rate affect my school taxes?

Under the new tax rate, the average taxpayer in Mansfield ISD can expect to pay slightly more to the school district during the 2024-25 academic year.

The average home in Mansfield ISD has an appraised value of $414,235, according to a public notice issued by the district in June. However, only $322,830 of the value is used for taxes. Exemptions, such as the $100,000 homestead exemption that rolled out in 2023, are included in that figure.

The average property tax bill to Mansfield ISD would be $3,702.54 — $486.32 more than what the average homeowner paid in 2023.

Last year, the average home in Mansfield ISD had an appraised value of $338,626 and only $279,866 was used for taxes. That homeowner paid $3,216.22 in property taxes to Mansfield ISD.

Drew Shaw is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601. At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

This article was originally published by Drew Shaw at Fort Worth Report – (https://fortworthreport.org/2024/09/17/were-not-allowed-to-go-any-lower-mansfield-isd-adopts-slightly-higher-tax-rate/).

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