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LISD tax rate vote under way
File photo
By BLAINE CRIMMINS, bcrimmins@acnpapers.com
Early voting is under way now through Friday for the Lewisville ISD tax rate referendum. The district is proposing a 2-cent increase to the tax rate in order to help offset a $23 million budget deficit for 2010-11. Election Day is scheduled for Sept. 14.
Early voting in The Colony takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Morningside Elementary, 6350 Paige Road, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday at The Colony City Hall, 6800 Main St.
School district officials say that without a tax increase, the district will be forced to cut extracurricular activities and staff, resulting in undesirable teacher-to-student ratios.
Dillard pointed out that other governmental entities are making due with what they have in an uncertain economy.
“This city faces a shortfall of revenue. … You have cut the budget, whether it’s personnel or your expenditures,” Dillard said. “LISD wants to increase taxes. There’s no cutback of personnel or reorganization of staff. There’s no attempt to control this massive spending juggernaut. And in an economy that’s one of the worst we’ve seen in sometime, we need to see a more responsible approach to business than what they’re doing.
“The key point is they want to raise our taxes when everybody across the board is just trying to maintain what they have and not raise taxes, because frankly many people don’t have the additional money.”
LISD documentation states that the 2-cent increase would only generate $7 million of the $23 million shortfall, leaving the deficit at $16 million, all of which would come out of the district’s fund balance.
School district documents further state that the administration has been actively pursuing budget cuts the past two years, reducing its operating costs by $19 million since 2008. These measures include reducing staff through attrition, including aides, assistant principals, counselors, librarians, and other support staff.
For information, logon to www.lisd.net, call the Public Information Office at 469-948-8152, or e-mail info@lisd.net.
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