ODESSA, TX (KWES) - At Tuesday night's meeting members of the board heard a proposed tax rate of one dollar and fifteen cents. The components of the rate are daily operations tax would be one dollar and four cents while eleven cents would go to bond payments.
The interesting fact behind the rate is the daily operations tax rate hasn't changed in almost 10 years while the interest in sinking stayed the same from last year.
David Harwell, ECISD CFO said, "We've taken the stance of keeping a flat budget in line with our tax rate which is flat. We have some reserves but just like MISD we have budget issues also."
Harwell added proposing the same tax rate means students, faculty, and parents can all expect the same services they are currently receiving now.
"It's a large portion of our funding. We get a portion of our aid from the state and we do receive federal funding. Our tax collections are the largest item in our revenue budget," said Harwell.
Harwell said keeping the tax rate the same in the district is not easy as they are still looking at information that could change the budget which they are aware of.
"You have to have dollars to operate so at some point if your values continue to decline and your alternatives for funding continue to be restricted by the state, then you are looking at options," said Harwell.
Next week, the board will vote to make the rate public and then there will be a public meeting in September where the board will look to approve the rate.