ATX-LTW: Impact 8/20/2026

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Leander ISD voters to decide on 3-cent tax rate increase in November

Leander ISD residents will have the opportunity to vote for a tax rate increase this November, which officials say would generate over $6 million for the district's maintenance and operations fund. The LISD board of trustees approved an order calling for a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election, or VATRE, during the Aug. 17 board meeting.

The cost: If approved, the VATRE would increase the M&O portion of LISD's 2026-27 tax rate by three cents, resulting in a rate of $1.1169 per $100 valuation. Based on LISD's average taxable home value of $460,292, taxpayers could expect an estimated annual tax bill of $5,141, an increase of $27.56 annually compared to 2025-26. If the VATRE is not approved, the tax rate would return to $1.0869, resulting in a tax bill decrease of $110.53 annually compared to 2025-26.

Why it matters: If approved, the VATRE would provide the district with approximately $6.7 million in additional funding after state recapture. The M&O tax rate funds daily operating expenses such as staff pay, district programs and student services.

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Eanes ISD adopts tax rate, postpones staff compensation vote

Eanes ISD residents can expect to see a slightly lower tax rate in 2026-27 following the board of trustees' adoption of the rate during its Aug. 18 meeting, while an employee compensation plan is still to be determined.

What you need to know: The approved tax rate of $0.8254 per $100 of valuation includes $0.7054 for maintenance and operations and $0.12. for interest and sinking.

The M&O tax rate funds day-to-day operating expenses, while the I&S tax rate funds debt payments on bonds used for capital projects. Chief Financial Officer Pete Pape said the continued M&O tax rate decrease has largely been due to statutes passed at the Texas Legislature, while the district's bond refunding efforts have kept the I&S tax rate consistent since a two-cent decrease in 2020-21.

What else: The board indefinitely postponed voting on the sale of district owned land to the Westbank Community Library District, and subsequently, postponed voting on an employee compensation plan until the September board meeting.

From Capitol to classroom: How state policy decisions and budget strains shape Austin-area public schools

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Live updates: ERCOT will complete data center audit in late 2026, officials say

The Texas House State Affairs Committee heard from power grid officials; data center developers and industry representatives; local government officials; cybersecurity experts; and utility companies during an Aug. 19 hearing on the growth of data centers in the state. Dozens of Texas residents also testified about the impact of data centers in their communities.

The details: Pablo Vegas, CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said it will take the grid operator several months to audit about 200 gigawatts of data center proposals. ERCOT will request information from all large and medium-sized data centers that are expected to use at least 25 megawatts of electricity.

ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission were ordered on Aug. 3 to audit all data centers seeking to connect to Texas’ power grid. They anticipate completing that audit in late November or early December, Vegas said.