School Proposes Tax Rate; Budget
The GCISD board (Diane Havlak, Tibby Niehues and Doug Schaefer absent) Aug. 13 proposed a tax rate for the next fiscal year totaling $l.097, down from the previous rate of $1.42. The effective rate is $1.00 and the rate could go as high as $1.40 without triggering roll back, according to Superintendent Steve Long.
The board also approved a preliminary budget of $9.5 million in revenues, and $9.3 million in expenditures. The school has an unencumbered fund balance (reserve) of $3.4 million, according to Long.
A public hearing will be held Aug. 30 at 6 p.m., with final action on the tax rate and budget at 7 p.m.
According to board president Karla Hoelscher, the school’s projected WADA payment (which is sent to other schools or to the state) is lower this year because of the use of bond money for the current construction project.
Board member Kevin Hirt complained about how athletic money is budgeted, saying it is weighted too heavily toward football. He said girls playing basketball have to buy their own shoes, and some other sports have no uniforms. Long said he would check into the matter.
Budget allocations for UIL activities are: football supplies $8,000; basketball supplies, boys and girls each $2,500; tennis supplies, boys and girls combined, $1,000; cross country and golf supplies each $500; track supplies, boys and girls each $750; medical supplies $1,000; UIL supplies, elementary school, $1,200; high school, $3,000; equipment, $4,000.