EPISD Board of Trustees approve slight tax rate increase for 2015-2016 fiscal year
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015
The Eagle Pass Independent School District (EPISD) Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 in which they held a public hearing to discuss the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget and proposed tax rate and adopted a resolution approving the Official Budget for the 2015-2016 School Year and setting the 2015-2016 Tax Rate at $1.16703 per $100 valuation.
EPISD Board President Lupita Fuentes opened up the 2015-2016 EPISD Budget and proposed tax rate public hearing for comments from taxpayers, which had none.
During the public hearing, the EPISD Board of Trustees and administration discussed the budget and tax rate setting process in detail for the benefit of the public.
Board President Fuentes stated that the proposed tax rate will be $ 1.04005/ $100 valuation for Maintenance and Operation (MNO). The School Debt Service Tax (INS) will be $0.12698/$100 valuation (proposed rate to pay bonded indebtedness) for a total district tax rate of $1.16703/$100 valuation.
The MNO tax rate will have a 3.12 % increase for the proposed budget in comparison to last year’s budget. Debt Service will have a 1.81 % decrease compared to last year’s budget. Total proposed expenditures for the 2015/2015 EPISD will see a 2.88 % increase.
The EPISD unpaid bonded Indebtedness (outstanding principal) is currently $55,625,000. The total appraised value of all properties for 2015-2016 is $2,715,393,153 and total taxable value of all properties is $2,203,932,280.
“This is a slight increase of less than half a penny from the previous year. We are very glad to report that this is a minimal increase in our tax rate,” said Fuentes.
The EPISD Board of Trustees also approved the 2015-2016 EPISD school year budget which is projected to have estimated revenues of $140,424,955 with a total appropriations for the 2015-2016 school year of $138,148,197.
The new EPISD 2015-2016 budget will also include the 2% salary increase across the board for professionals, administrators, para-professionals, and manual trades.
The EPISD School Board also approved to purchase new band uniforms for Eagle Pass High School this year and the following year for C. C. Winn High School.
“One of the things that we will be doing and it was based on the fact that the Eagle Pass High School has had their band uniforms for over 11 years and C.C. Winn High School has had them for 10 years. So, what we’re doing is setting aside the funds and a stipulation has been mad that if possible next year, we will go ahead and provide the same amount of money for C.C Winn so they can also replace their band uniforms at that time,” said Board President Lupita Fuentes.
The EPISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Agenda Item No. 1 which called for consideration and possible action to adopt the Official Budget for the 2015-2016 School Year.
Under Agenda item No.2, the EPISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved to adopt Resolution No. 2015-2016-01 approving the 2015-2016 budget and setting the Tax Rate at $1.16703 per $100 valuation.
“I would like to thank the EPISD Board members and administration for working together in bringing this budget into reality, which is for the purpose of improving the education and resources that we need to provide for our teachers for the benefit of our students,” noted Fuentes.
Fuentes highlighted that the local school district has taken measures to provide better equipment and services for all public schools, including providing a stipend (a fixed sum of money paid periodically for services or to defray expenses) funding for secondary level department heads and elementary campuses department heads for the first time ever. Fuentes noted that both the secondary and elementary department heads provide invaluable assistance in preparing the curriculum.
