Lamar Consolidated ISD residents will see a decrease in the district's tax rate.

The big picture: At a Sept. 15 meeting, the Lamar CISD board of trustees approved a tax rate of $1.139 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2026-27. The new rate is a 0.69% decrease from $1.1469 in FY 2025-26.

The details: The new tax rate includes $0.639 per $100 valuation for maintenance and operations, which funds the district's daily operations, and $0.5 per $100 valuation for interest and sinking, which funds the district's outstanding debt, Buchanan said.

The M&O rate decreased by $0.0279, while the I&S rate was increased by $0.02, resulting in a $0.0079 total decrease.

Buchanan said the new I&S rate will increase revenue by $6.2 million and allow the district to pay off debt sooner.

Baskin-Robbins will host a one-day community celebration marking the completion of a remodel and new local ownership at its South Mason Road store.

The Sept. 19 celebration—dubbed Katy Flavor Fest—will feature ice cream specials as well as a DJ and giveaways, officials announced in a Sept. 16 news release.

What changed: The Katy store, which was acquired by local franchisees Mark and Shannon Norman in early August, features a refreshed design including new decor, an expanded row of glass dipping cabinets and upgraded digital menus, officials said.

The Normans own and operate six Baskin-Robbins locations throughout the Greater Houston region. 

In their own words: “We wanted to build a business around something that naturally brings people joy,” the Normans said. “Baskin-Robbins is more than just ice cream. It is often part of birthdays, celebrations, family traditions and everyday moments of joy. We want our shops to be welcoming places where families can come together and make lasting memories.”

• 1560 S. Mason Road, Ste. B, Katy

The Bayou Land Conservancy, a nonprofit focused on the preservation of the streams that lead into Lake Houston, named Dr. Anna Weiss as its new executive director, per a Sept. 10 news release.

The details: Weiss will succeed Jill Boullion, who retired after 10 years of service. Weiss will oversee daily operations and implement initiatives as directed by the board.

She brings a decade of experience in the environmental sector, most recently serving as the director of Green Galveston Initiatives at Vision Galveston. After earning her Ph.D. in Geosciences from The University of Texas at Austin, Weiss joined the Billion Oyster Project in New York, where she managed community-led restoration and research projects.

Quote of note: "It is an honor to lead the Bayou Land Conservancy. I am grateful to my predecessor, Jill, for her legacy of leadership and I am excited to build on the organization's amazing 30 years of conservation," Weiss said.

Some Texas Republican leaders have vowed to get rid of the property taxes that homeowners pay to their local public school districts, and lawmakers are analyzing how much it would cost to do so.

The big picture: Texas school districts collect about $29 billion per year in maintenance and operations taxes, which cover schools' daily expenses.

Of that $29 billion in school tax revenue, the state comptroller's office estimates that about $8.6 billion is paid by homeowners, and the rest comes from commercial and industrial property taxes.

This means the state would need to spend at least $8.6 billion annually to zero out homeowners' school property tax bills, officials said.

Quote of note: "Broadly speaking, you have a question about how much you want to fund schools, and then separately, where does that money come from?" Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said during a Sept. 15 legislative hearing. "If you have a target of how much you want to spend, you need to make sure you have enough variable revenue sources to reach that."