Gregorski talks TRE at Katy Area EDC meeting

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 9/22/22

Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski described the district’s tax ratification election, which if approved by voters in November would go towards staff and faculty pay raises.

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Gregorski talks TRE at Katy Area EDC meeting

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Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski described the district’s tax ratification election, which if approved by voters in November would go towards staff and faculty pay raises.

Gregorski spoke Tuesday at the Katy Area Economic Development Council meeting, which was held at the district’s L.D. Robinson Pavilion. 5801 Katy Hockley Rd.

Trustees in August voted to place the issue on the ballot while they approved a $1.2 billion budget. According to district figures, about 88% of the budget goes towards staff salaries.

The district’s overall tax rate dropped from $1.3517 to $1.3048 per $100 property evaluation. This is a $0.0469, or 3.5% decrease. This drop is reflected in the district’s maintenance and operations rate. State law requires the maintenance and operations rate drop when property values increase.

Using the state compressed $1.3048 rate, a property valued at $383,366, with a taxable value of $324,213, would have a tax bill of $4,230.

If voters approve, or ratify, the tax rate in November, the rate would remain at last year’s $1.3517 rate. Using this same $383,366 property valuation example, the tax bill would be $4,382, a $152 increase.

“Our goal is to use those dollars for staff and employee raises,” Gregorski said, adding that districts are competing for teachers.

Katy-area property owners can expect to pay more because property values have risen, despite the lower tax rate. The demand for homes in the school district remains strong and the student enrollment continues to increase dramatically. Gregorski said the district has about 92,000 students now. Last month, Gregorski said the district expects to have an enrollment of about 100,000 students by 2030.

While Gregorski said he was not advocating voters approve or reject the measure, he did say he wanted to explain what a TRE is. He said he is often asked why money spent on new schools or facilities, such as stadiums, are not reallocated towards salaries. Bond issues pay for those things, he said.

“It’s not a little deal,” Gregorski said. “It’s a huge deal.”

Other districts, including Alvin, Dallas, Friendswood, Lubbock, San Antonio and Seguin, have called for such elections.

The district has created a website to share more information about the TRE. The abbreviated URL for that website it bit.ly/KISDTRE.

Also speaking at Tuesday’s meeting was Shannon Dietz, who spoke of the Southeast Texas Urban Ag and Farm Safety Summit, set for Thursday and Friday at the Gerald D. Young Agriculture Sciences Center, at the same address.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that when using the state compressed tax rate of $1.3048, a property valued at $383,366, with a taxable value of $324,213, would have a tax bill of $4,230.

If voters approve, or ratify, the tax rate in November, the rate would remain at last year’s $1.3517 rate. Using this same $383,366 property valuation example, the tax bill would be $4,382, a $152 increase.

Katy Area EDC, TRE, Katy ISD, Katy Independent School Distridct