Published: September 07, 2006 11:49 am         

Mexia ISD board lowers tax rate, adopts deficit budget

The Mexia Independent School District is lowering its tax rate by some 11 cents over last year’s rate, but will still realize more money, due to the Limestone County Appraisal District’s increasing valuations of property throughout the district.

The old tax rate was $1.5556 per $100 property evaluation. The new rate, approved during a called meeting of the Mexia School Board, is $1.4472 per $100 of property evaluation.

The gesture is welcome for the lower rate, but taxpayers won’t notice much change because the county’s appraisal district decreed property values must go higher. This will bring in an additional $83,624 to the Mexia ISD, over last year’s figure.

Despite the extra $83,624 for the local school district, trustees voted to pass a deficit budget for the new year. This is the budget in effect for the 2006-2007 school year. This budget anticipates revenues of $16,885,591, but with anticipated expenses of $17,815,379.

Adoption of the tax rate and budget was preceded with a public meeting to discuss the proposed budget and proposed tax rate. Nobody was there to speak for or against either measure.

Budget amendments were passed. Amendments must always be approved as the school district heads into another fiscal year, and are nothing more than “housekeeping measures.”

Trustees conducted an executive session to discuss personnel. The agenda provided for no voting once the board came back into open session.