Waller ISD lowers tax rate 19 cents

During a special called meeting, the Waller ISD Board of Trustees voted to lower the tax rate to $1.69 per $100 of valuation. This represents a reduction of 19 cents from last year. The maintenance and operation (M&O) tax rate fell 13 cents from $1.50 to $1.37 per $100 of valuation, and the interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate fell six cents from 38 cents to 32 cents per $100 of valuation. (The combined I&S and M&O rates construct the $1.69 total tax rate.) The reduction of the tax rate includes a refund of $100,000 to taxpayers from the 2004 bond election.
     I&S tax is used to pay for bonded indebtedness on construction, and M&O tax is used to cover the schools’ operating costs.
     The projected taxable value for tax year 2006 as received from the Waller County Appraisal District is 1.13 billion. This projected value would result in an approximate 3.36 percent increase in taxable property value from last year.
     The Board also approved the WISD Fiscal Year 2006-2007 budget of $43,843,447. Some of the highlights include: a beginning bachelor’s degree teaching salary of $40,000; a $3,000, plus the next step on the WISD salary schedule, pay raise for all teachers, nurses, and librarians; a four percent general pay raise for all other Waller ISD employees; a budget appropriation for three school busses and one special needs bus; an Air Force ROTC program at Waller High School; a projected tax collection rate of 93 percent; a two percent projected growth in student enrollment; and the addition of five custodial positions. More 2006-2007 budget information can be found on the Waller ISD Tax Office web site located at http://www.wallerisd.net/business/default.htm.
     In other business, the Board recognized new Elementary Math Coordinator Susan Thompson, and Board President Robert Carvell was nominated a delegate for the Texas Association of School Boards; Trustee Shaun Nelson was nominated an alternate.