Friday, March 29, 2024

Carroll's Tax Election Is Saturday At CSHS

On Saturday, September 15, Carroll voters will decide the fate of a two-cent tax ratification election to address the district’s operating budget. Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Carroll Senior High School Art Center, 1501 West Southlake Blvd.

A total of about 1,305 voters cast an early ballot in the special election to decide whether or not to raise the operating tax rate from $1.04 per $100 assessed valuation to $1.06 per $100 assessed valuation.

CISD Trustees called the special election to allow voters to decide whether or not to allow a two-cent tax increase on the maintenance and operations tax rate. If approved, the additional two-cent tax will generate $1.1 million to help offset the district’s operating deficit. If the tax does not pass, Trustees will consider a number of other options – all outlined on CarrollBudget.com.

The additional two-cent increase would cost the average Carroll ISD homeowner about $25 a year. Trustees have already reduced central office operating expenditures by about $3 million, delayed the start of school to save money and cut eight teaching positions. Trustees also voted in August to reduce the debt service tax rate by 1.5 cents. Taxpayers will receive the benefit of the debt service decrease regardless of the outcome of the September 15 special election.

With the additional two-cent tax, CISD’s deficit is $2.8 million; without the tax, the deficit will be $3.9 million. In addition to the tax hike proposal, CISD is considering schedule changes, program and personnel cuts, a change to the fiscal year, the sale of property and using fund balance to make up the deficit. CISD’s deficit was caused by an $8 million loss in state funding over the biennium.

Postcards announcing the election were mailed to all residential taxpayers. For more information about CISD’s options for balancing the budget, visit CarrollBudget.com.

 

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