Hawkins ISD Board of Trustees
Tax rate reduction proposed; ’07-’08 HISD rate at $1.1485
By JOHN SPARKS

At a special meeting of the Hawkins Independent School Board, on Tuesday, August 7, trustees approved a tax rate of $1.1485 for the school year beginning September 1, 2007. The proposed rate means a reduction of 23.68 cents per hundred dollars of property value.
 

HISD Business Manager Roby Fair presented the new rate to trustees saying it reflects the intention of the Texas legislature in House Bill 1 which called for a property tax reduction of 1/3 over a two year period.
 

Fair also reported HISD will again be classified as a Chapter 41 District (property tax wealthy) and is projected to have to send $1,455,480 to the state for distribution to property tax poor districts.
 

The Maintenance & Operation (M&0) tax rate is proposed at 98 cents/$100 while the Interest & Sinking rate is proposed at 16.8533 cents/$100.
 

Budget Meeting August 27

The public meeting on the ’07-’08 budget is scheduled for Monday, August 27 at 7 p.m.
 

The new tax rate is projected to raise $6,220,000 in M&O funds which support ongoing operational needs such as teachers’ librarians and counselors salaries, non-classroom salaries and wages, classroom and laboratory supplies, and maintenance costs. The revenue generated by the I&S tax will be used to pay principal and interest payments on the $15-million bond debt approved by voters in December 2005 (which funded the renovation and construction program now underway on all three campuses). I&S taxes are expected to generate $999,712 in ‘07-‘08.
 

In actions related to the ’07-’08 budget, trustees approved:
-A general pay increase for teachers, librarians and counselors of three percent (average $1,180/year).
-A general pay increase for administrators of 1.5% to 3.0 percent.
-Salary Adjustments for the Business Manager and IT Director.
-Added four Maintenance position—3 custodians and one groundskeeper.
-Set the date of Monday, August 27 at 7 p.m. as public meeting for ’07-’08 budget.
 

Trustees also approved the purchase of new desk sets for six classes (second grade and third grade) from the ’06-’07 fund surplus. Also approved was a cell telephone allowance for four district employees whose responsibilities require mobile communication access. Trustees also approved a one-year probationary teaching contract for Kenneth Williams.

Trustees are next scheduled to meet in regular session on Monday, September 10 16 at 7 p.m. A special meeting of the board can be called with 72-hours notice.