BURTON SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSES INCREASE IN TAX RATE
The Burton School Board on Monday voted to formally propose a slight increase in the school district’s property tax rate.
materials for Monday's Burton School Board
meeting. The district is proposing a tax rate of
$0.9455 per $100 valuation for the upcoming fiscal
year.
(courtesy Burton ISD)
The rate of $0.9455 per $100 valuation consists of $0.7355 for maintenance and operations (M&O) and $0.2100 for interest and sinking (I&S)., landing above the previously adopted tax rate of $0.9380. The new M&O rate is lower than the existing $0.7380, but the new I&S rate, which is used to make the district’s debt payments on its bonds, is higher than the current $0.2000.
The no-new-revenue rate, which would give the district the same tax collections as the previous year based on new property values, is $0.984377. However, the voter-approval rate, based on the maximum compressed rate provided by the Texas Education Agency, is $0.947525.
Burton ISD Business Manager Caitlyn Blakey-Staal said the certified values provided by the Washington County Appraisal District show an increase in the average home’s taxable value in the district of $23,164, but also a decrease of $52,898,668 in overall taxable values, which include commercial and oil and gas. With the proposed rate, the average residential taxes owed would increase by $14.
Currently, the district projects a balanced budget of $14,905,972 for the next school year. The budget is comprised of $11,684,832 for general fund expenses, $421,200 for food service and $2,799,940 for debt service.
When asked by Trustee Dean Fuchs how many school districts around the state are anticipating adopting deficit budgets, Blakey-Staal answered “close to 50 percent”.
A public hearing for the tax rate and budget is scheduled for Wednesday, August 28th at 6 p.m.
Click here to view a breakdown of the proposed budget presented at Monday's meeting.
In other business, trustees approved procedures concerning change orders related to the bond construction project. In June, the board set the limit at $25,000 for what the superintendent could sign off on for a change order without requiring board approval. Monday’s action allows a board subcommittee of Jeff Harmel, Dean Fuchs and Mike Clyde to allow change orders of up to $100,000, with anything above that amount requiring full board approval.
Action on the district and campus improvement plans was tabled to allow trustees more time for review.
No. Just no.
Property values are higher already.
The same rate should be fine.
Maybe take it out of the sports budget.
We voted for the bond. Make it work or cut something out, like an extra coach or coach assistant.
Be better than Brenham.