Dublin ISD School Board set its tax rate and approved the budget at the Monday, Aug. 26 school board meeting.
The adopted tax rate was lower than last year with $.8551 per $100 valuation, with $.7552 for the purpose of maintenance and operations and $.0999 for the purpose of payment of principal and interest on debts. Last year’s tax rate was $.8732.
“The district is lowering the rate from what it was last year,” Business Manager Kassi Eads explained.
However, with an increase in property values, homeowners will most likely see an increase in taxes.
The board encouraged those who are unhappy about property values to contact state legislators in an effort to slow down property value appraisals.
The board also approved its Fiscal Year 202425 budget, including a $269,577 deficit in the General operating Fund (Fund 199).
“She [Kassi] has worked very, very hard to get this budget as balanced as it can be,” Superintendent Melissa Summers said.
Eads explained the deficit wasn’t a ‘paying the bills’ situation but rather because of major projects such as all of the carpet in the high school needing to be replaced with different flooring (at a cost of $125,000).
“The carpet we have is 25 years old,” Summers said. “It needs to be replaced.”
There is also $75,000 in the budget to purchase a new transit van to aid the transportation department with requests to transport students to various out of town activities.
There is also a cushion built into budget in case additional teachers need to be hired with growth throughout the school year.
“That does not mean we will take that out of the fund balance at the end of the year,” Eads said indicating the district’s ability to save money throughout the year.
“Are we going to get what our kids and teachers need? Absolutely,” Summers said.
As part of the tax rate and budget adoption, a public hearing was held. No one spoke.
The board also received some terrific news as the district received a 100% on its FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) from the Texas Education Agency.
“We are so pleased,” Summers said. “It’s a perfect score.”
Last year the district received 91% and immediately worked to change the items they were dinged on, bringing them up to 100% this year.
The board also heard from Tax Attorneys Robert Meyers, Veselka, Bragg, & Allen, P.C. who aid the district in collecting delinquent property tax collections.
Representatives explained that each year the district collects more than 100% of taxes when you figure in penalties and interest, however, those who live within Dublin ISD are very good to pay their taxes, and on time.
“It’s a positive sign from the community that they pay their taxes,” Robert Meyers with the firm said.
As far as delinquent taxes are concerned, the firm has collected 73.55% of the taxes referred to them in July 2023, 86.31% of the taxes referred to them in July 2022 and 93.81% of the taxes referred in July 2021.
For 2023 taxes, the firm sent out 215 polite reminder letters and then followed up with 174 delinquent notices. Out of those notices, there were 30 suits on 45 properties for an amount of $92,144. Out of the suits, there were four judgments on four properties in the amount of $4,750.
There were six properties posted for sale Dec. 2023 at the Sheriff’s sale in the amount of $16,493 in back taxes owed.
There were also two bankruptcies.
The school board’s next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 and all meetings are open to the public.
The board will present its first round of student awards at the meeting in September.