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The Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees called for a 12-cent voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, on Aug. 10 for the Nov. 3 general election in a 6-1 vote, with trustee Christine Kalmbach opposed.

The fiscal year 2026-27 budget with an estimated $80.9 million shortfall and a projected ending fund balance of $437 million was approved June 22 in a 6-1 vote, with Kalmbach opposed.

What we know: Superintendent Doug Killian said the district’s financial issues are a result of a lack of revenue—not overspending.

The average funding per student from maintenance and operations, or M&O, taxes for school districts in the Houston area with over 10,000 students was $11,165 for FY 2025-26, while CFISD receives $9,798 per student. 

“If the VATRE passes, it will help the district eliminate the deficit, remain competitive with neighboring districts, strengthen recruitment and retention and sustain existing programs,” Smith said.

Looking ahead: If the VATRE fails, Smith said the district will immediately implement zero-based budgeting and examine necessary reductions to preserve the district’s financial position.

Aristoi Classical Academy officials said the school expanded with a new campus and opened on Aug. 12 for a ‘meet the teacher’ event. Per previous Community Impact reporting, the new campus was announced on Feb. 25.

Quote of note: “The new campus represents an important milestone for Aristoi Cypress and for the families who have helped build the school community since it opened in 2020,” officials said. “Aristoi is a tuition-free public charter school rooted in the classical liberal arts tradition, with an emphasis on critical thinking, clear communication, strong character, and the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. The Ardfield campus gives Aristoi Cypress a permanent home where that mission can continue for generations of scholars in the Cypress and Northwest Houston communities.”

What to expect: At the new Cypress campus families can expect updated classrooms and learning spaces as well as a new gymnasium, which gives Aristoi Cypress a dedicated space for athletics, physical education, school events and community gatherings, officials said.

Houston airport workers will receive a minimum wage increase of $5 for a new wage of $20 an hour, which will gradually rise to $23 an hour by 2028.
What this means: Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order Aug. 12 alongside members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the labor union that represents airport workers, that would immediately begin the new wages.

Workers employed by air carriers, concessions and airport contractors will qualify for the raise.

“This helps, but this is just the beginning,” Whitmire said. “It's not going to be just wages. It's going to be working conditions.”

Before signing the executive order, the minimum wage was $15 an hour at Houston airports, including Hobby and IAH. This is the first salary increase for Houston workers since 2023, when former Mayor Sylvester Turner raised their minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour.

One more thing: The increase is scheduled to go up to $21 in January 2027, $22 in October 2027 and by 2028 it will be $23 an hour.