LOCKHART, Texas (KXAN) -- Those living in Lockhart may get the opportunity this November to vote on an annexation item to join the Austin Community College taxing district.

The Austin Community College District Board of Trustees on Monday night unanimously certified a petition from residents living in territory covered by Lockhart Independent School District who are interested in adding an ACC annexation item to November's ballot, according to a release from the board.

If approved, Lockhart ISD would join the taxing district and benefit from in-district tuition rates and fees, including the recently approved ACC Free Tuition pilot program. Residents living within the Lockhart ISD territory would receive in-district benefits immediately if the measure were approved.

Right now, in-district students pay $85 per credit hour in tuition and fees, compared with $286 per credit hour for out-of-district students (effective 2024-25). However, high school graduates and GED completers would benefit from the Free Tuition pilot program. The program
covers tuition and general fees for up to five years at ACC.

Lockhart ISD is currently considered out-of-district, so those students are still responsible for the out-of-district fee of $201 per credit hour.

According to the ACC Board, community members seeking annexation needed to collect signatures from at least 5% of local registered voters for an annexation election to take place, which would have been 744 signatures. They submitted 1,013 signatures.

A public hearing is scheduled for June 25 in Lockhart.

If voters decide to join the ACC taxing district, homeowners living within Lockhart ISD territory would pay a property tax currently set at $0.0986 per $100 assessed property valuation. The total tax rate includes a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.0854 (which cannot be increased without voter approval), according to the Board of Trustees.

The board also noted that the college offers a standard $5,000 homestead exemption. Senior citizens and homeowners with disabilities receive an additional $75,000 exemption for a total exemption of $80,000.

According to the ACC Board, the college presented a proposed service plan for Lockhart ISD, detailed below:

Phase 1: ACC will work with LISD to provide services on LISD property during evenings and weekends when LISD property is not otherwise in use. The college will offer expanded career and technical workforce offerings as well as collaborate with the school district on the implementation of an Early College High School.
Phase 2: ACC will work with the local community to develop and occupy a 15,000-square-foot to 20,000-square-foot workforce and general education space located in close proximity to Lockhart High School.
Phase 3: ACC will purchase land and develop a permanent facility in the territory to be annexed after consultation with local community, economic, and educational leadership to ensure that the permanent facility meets the emerging and projected needs of the region.