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AISD lowering taxes big time
By Betse Esparza / Managing Editor
While the City of Alpine and Brewster County are both raising taxes just a hair, Alpine ISD is giving local taxpayers a lot to smile about.
The school board voted last week to adopt a tax rate that is 33 cents lower than last year's rate.
"Truth in taxation," said Business Manager Darrell Dodds. "The truth is we can have this rate and have enough for maintenance and operation."
The adopted rate for 2007-08 is 1.15720 - the maintenance and operations fund will get $1.04 of that total, while .1172 cents will be used for debt service.
Last year's rate was 1.4822 with $1.37 for M&O and .1172 for interest and sinking.
Dodds told the Avalanche that the I&O fund has hovered around 11 cents since he arrived in 2002.
From that time until 2005, the M&O fund was at its cap at $1.50.
"This will also be a decrease as far as our revenue per student," said Dodds.
However, he said the district is expecting an increase in state money this year.
In fact, for the last several years, property taxes have provided for nearly 60 percent of the school's budget and the state has made up the additional 40 percent.
Dodds said those numbers will flip-flop this year.
Last year, Alpine received $4.3 million from the state; this year, they expect $4.8 million.
The next regular meeting of the school board will be held Wednesday, Sept. 19.
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