Bowling Green residents have a chance Monday to comment about a proposed property tax rate being considered by the Bowling Green Independent School District’s Board of Education.

In June, the BGISD school board approved a property tax rate of 83.5 cents per $100 of real and personal property, up from the previous rate of 78.1. However, Superintendent Gary Fields said Friday that the board will meet Monday night to consider a rate of 82.8 cents, which is seven-tenths of a cent lower than was OK’d in June.

Fields said the new rate is due to an increase in property valuations in the school district.

“We’re fortunate to be in a community that is growing economically,” he said.

The public hearing is at 6 p.m. Monday in the Joel C. Brown Administration Building at 1211 Center St. The board will meet in regular session beginning at 6:30 p.m.

According to an agenda for the meeting, 66.3 cents per $100 of the proposed rate will go toward the district’s general fund, while 16.5 cents per $100 will go to the district’s building fund.

At the time the board was considering the 83.5-cent rate in June, Fields and board member Frank “Hamp” Moore said the increased revenue would be used to finance renovations for Bowling Green High School. The school is roughly 50 years old and what’s been described as a dated layout.

Fields said Friday the district is also contending with fixed cost increases, such as employee pension payouts.

Next fiscal year, Fields said, the district will have to pay an additional $600,000 for pension payments for its classified employees.

“We were just notified of that yesterday afternoon, and that all comes out of this local funding,” he said.

Fields said he appreciates the contributions property taxpayers make.

“That is an obvious sign that this community truly values the educational system,” he said.