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September 2, 2010

Mabank voters to decide on tax rate increase

Art Lawler The Athens Review

Athens — MABANK — Voters will be going to the polls to decide whether or not to assess themselves a 13-cent tax rate increase.

A misprint? In this economy?

The Board of Trustees of the Mabank Independent School District want voters to ratify a proposed tax rate increase of 13 cents per $100 valuation from $1.04 to $1.17.

Why would you the taxpayers in MISD do such a thing?

Because, say school officials, it won’t cost you a dime to do so, and the district will be able to draw an additional $400,000 annually from the state.

Voodoo economics?

Nope, just simple arithmetic. Here’s how it works.

• You vote yourself the 13-cent increase next Wednesday.

• In turn, the Board of Trustees will lower the district’s INS rate by a corresponding 13 cents per $100 valuation.

 That means your current tax rate on M&O and INS taxes will remain at $1.38 per $100 valuation, the same as you’re currently paying, says MISD Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations, Scott Adams.

But why bother with all that then? Why not just keep everything the same?

Because, as Adams explains, “We generate more state funds with an M&0 rate than we do with an INS rate,” he says.

How much more?

“Approximately a $400,000 annual increase in state  revenues,” he says.

If the district doesn’t go through all of this rigamarole, you’re still going  to be paying your usual $1.38 for your school taxes but your district will be  receiving approximately $400,000 annually less money. That’s $4 million a decade.

Do the math, say school board members.

The extra $400,000 bag of cash you’d be carrying out of Austin, would be used, Adams says, to increase the teacher pay scale.

The current MISD teacher pay scale is $4,000 above the state minimum at each step.

 The Board wants to raise the pay scale to $5,000 above at each step in an effort to attract the top teachers.

“That doesn’t mean every step will get additional increases, because some are already making more than the goal of $5,000,” Adams says.

For instance, some veteran teachers who have already been around for 24-25 years, make up to $8,000 above base pay. They wouldn’t be affected.

“But no teachers would be less than $5,000 under this system,” he emphasizes.

Adams said this would affect 38 percent of the teachers in MISD.

He said it would take about $110,000 to get everybody up to $5,000.

Well then, what about the rest of the dough?

Adams explains:

“MISD has applied for a qualified school construction bond program from the state, and the district has been approved for $5 million.”

So?

“This can be used for maintenance, renovation and upgrades of school facilities,” Adams said.

MISD was approved for these bonds last August (a year ago), but the district hasn’t accessed them and won’t before this election.

Why not?

“Because we don’t want to pay it back unless we have access to additional state funding from the ratification election,” Adams said.

So is that what the district wants to do with the remainder of the approximately $400,000 additional funds each year?

It just so happens the annual payment for those bonds, if accessed, is $300,000 annually.

So that’s how the money would be spent.

As district Superintendent Dr. Russell Marshal says, “It will allow us to maximize state funding. We will use the additional state funds to take advantage of qualified school construction bonds available through the state.” 

Specifically, that money would be used for roof replacement or repair, fixing parking lots, and upgrading of air conditioning and heating units at the older campuses.

“It’s important that the voters know that the 13 cent increase is spread out over a five-year period. The first two years there will be absolutely no increase in the tax rate.

Here’s the payment schedule after that:

2012: four cents;

2013: five cents;

2014: four cents.

“This equals the 13 cent tax rate prorated over a three year period.

And here’s what you’ll see on your ballot:

A vote for the tax increase that  will up the MISD rate to $1.51.

But, with the 13 cent reduction of the INS tax, your rate will remain at $1.38 for the 2011 school year.

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