Monday's Internet Edition, October 06, 2008.
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News editor - Copperas Cove Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Glenn Acker is proud of the CCISD Board of Trustees.
Acker said the fact that the school district has not raised taxes is to due to the board's diligent work in managing finances. Along with the zero increase in taxes, the district has a balanced budget and provided a pay raise to its teachers, he said.
Though many citizens may speculate that the board didn't increase taxes because they have reached their limit in taxation, Acker says that just isn't so.
The state limits districts to a $1.50 per $100 valuation tax for maintenance and operations, while area residents decide the amount of tax for debt service via a bond.
The current M&O CCISD tax is set at $1.446 per $100 valuation, while debt service, also called interest and sinking, is .146 cents per $100 valuation. The total tax rate is $1.592 per $100 valuation, which means the owner of property valued at $100,000 would pay $1,592 in school taxes.
Acker noted that many school districts have reached their tax cap. In fact, out of 1,032 school districts in the state of Texas, 405 have adopted the rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation, said Helen Daniels, a spokesperson with the Equity Center, a non-profit group of 600 school districts. The center's job is to represent the interests of low- and mid-wealth school districts.
Daniels added that 284 districts with local homestead exemptions have also reached their taxation limit.
Acker said many of the districts have filed suit, claiming that the $1.50 cap constitutes a state property tax, a method of finance ruled out through the state constitution.
Acker said the state legislature has called a special session on school finance. He said the current system, which relies heavily on state property tax, puts a lot of the burden on low- and middle-income people.
Acker believes it profits every citizen to contribute to the financing of schools. "A non-educated person costs the community more," he said. "An educated child benefits the whole community, so the whole community should pay."
Acker said the state needs to look for another method of financing education. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has considered implementing a statewide property tax and increase, said the superintendent, who added, "I'm not saying I agree."
While other districts in the state struggle with finances, the CCISD keeps on booking. Acker said in the time he has been with CCISD, he has presented three budgets. In two out of the three budgets, taxes have not been increased. While taxes were raised last year, the previous year saw no increase.
Acker is quick to note that he's not the reason for the lack of tax increases. "Before I even came here, the board did a management study to learn how to best manage its finances," he said. "The good things that are happening now are because of what the board did in the past."