Clear Creek ISD’s board of trustees at its Sept. 22 meeting approved the fiscal year 2025-26 tax rate of $0.969 per $100 valuation of a home.
The overview: The adopted tax rate includes $0.6990 for maintenance and operations, or M&O—which funds daily operations—and $0.27 for interest and sinking, or I&S—which pays bond debt.
The details: This tax rate will mean a property tax bill of nearly $2,140 on an average home with a taxable value of $406,460. This marks about a $350 decrease compared to last year, when the average tax bill came in at $2,490, according to district documents.
While the average market value has gone up from over $397,000 in 2024 to over $406,000 in 2025, the average taxable value is anticipated to be lower by over $36,500 due to a new homestead exemption that voters could approve in November.
“CCISD is still a great bargain out there,” board member Jay Cunningham said at the meeting. “This board … has made a conscious effort of taking care of taxpayer dollars.”
New Brazilian steakhouse coming to Webster in 2026
Houston-based Brazilian steakhouse Gauchos Do Sul is slated to open its doors in Webster by the beginning of 2026, an employee with the business said.
On the menu: Gauchos Do Sul serves unlimited cuts of steak, chicken, pork and lamb, as well as a salad bar and side dishes, according to the restaurant's website.
The details: This will be the fourth location to open in the Greater Houston area, with three other locations in Vintage Park, River Oaks and Katy, according to the restaurant's website.
PREVIEW: Harris County commissioners to vote on FY 2025-26 budget
Harris County commissioners will meet Sept. 24 to hold public hearings and discussions prior to adopting the $2.7 billion fiscal year 2025-26 budget for the county, as well as the FY 2025-26 budgets for the Harris County Toll Road Authority and Harris Health System.
The context: For FY 2024-25, Harris County's budget included about $2.9 billion for the county's general fund budget and $274.1 million for the Harris County Flood Control District, as previously reported in Community Impact.
The background: In the months leading up to the September budget adoption, Harris County commissioners and department leaders have implemented a yearlong hiring freeze to save at least $25 million in costs to address a projected $200 million-plus shortfall in FY 2025-26. Other cost-saving decisions commissioners and more than 80 department leaders identified included finding at least 10% in potential cost saving opportunities within their current level of services to address the shortfall in the FY 2025-26 budget, county officials said.
Eligible K-12 students receive free school meals after legislature approves funding
This school year, students who are eligible for reduced-price meals can receive free breakfast and lunch at public schools across Texas.
The overview: During the recent legislative session, state lawmakers approved $19.8 million to cover the cost of reduced-price meals for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.
What parents should know: Eligibility for free school meals is determined based on a family’s income through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.
Families can contact their school district to fill out an application for free or reduced-price meals at any time during the school year. Students who are deemed eligible for reduced-price meals will receive them at no cost through the 2026-27 school year.
What they're saying: “Kids who would have paid a small fee for meals will now receive them at no cost,” said Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. “[School] is where we know so many kids get their meals—it is a guaranteed place for kids to have access to free and nutritional meals.”
