BLINN BOARD ADOPTS BUDGET AND TAX RATE

Mark Whitehead August 20, 2014

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The Blinn College Board of Trustees voted last night to adopt a $93.9 million dollar budget for the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year. Blinn College Chief Financial Officer Kelli Shomaker gives an overview of the budget:

Kelli Shomaker small — Blinn College Chief Financial Officer Kelli Shomaker

The board also voted to decrease the Blinn tax rate to the effective tax rate of 5.84 cents per $100 valuation. The current tax rate is 6 cents even for Blinn, but due to the increase in tax rolls, the lower effective rate would bring in the same amount to the college. By adopting the effective tax rate, no other actions or hearings will be required by the Blinn Board. Washington County taxes make up only 1.7 percent of the school’s total budget. Board President Douglas Borchardt reminded those attending the meeting that Blinn College has $108 million worth of facilities in Washington County and that it cost $7 million dollars per year to maintain those, so the local taxes represent less than one fourth of that cost.

Dennis Crowson small — Blinn College Senior Vice President of Student Services Dennis Crowson

The board also got an update on fall enrollment from Senior Vice President of Student Services Dennis Crowson:

As of last week, the Brenham campus had 2115 students enrolled for the fall which is down 5 percent to the same time last year. The Bryan campus had 11,925 enrolled, which is 8.2 percent over the same period last year.