[00:00:01]
[I. Call to Order and Determination of a Quorum]
APRIL 8TH, 2025. A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA.ITEM NUMBER TWO, PUBLIC FORUM. MISS HOGAN, DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS? THANK YOU. ITEM THREE INFORMATION ITEMS. WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET PLANNING PRESENTATION FOR THE
[III.A.1. Receive Preliminary Budget Planning for 2025-2026 Presentation ]
2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. MR. DODDS.THANK YOU, BOARD PRESIDENT MR. SELDERS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR LOPEZ, TODAY WE WILL HEAR A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT WHAT OUR BUDGET IS, WHERE WE'RE AT CURRENTLY AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT TO NEXT YEAR. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF THINGS UP IN THE AIR WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS YEAR.
THAT THOSE BILLS ARE JUST NOW HITTING THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE.
AND SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, CHANGES WILL BE MADE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN. WE HOPE WHAT WE KNOW WILL HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL JUST WAIT AND SEE.
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE'RE PRESENTING.
I'M ACTUALLY JUST PRESENTING ON CURRENT LAW. THAT'S ALL I CAN PRESENT ON.
SINCE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LEGISLATURE AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD WITH HOUSE BILL TWO OR SENATE BILL THREE RIGHT. BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. BUT OUR AGENDA TODAY IS TODAY WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR 24-25 BUDGET UPDATE AND YEAR END FORECAST. WHAT OUR TAX RATE AND TRENDS HAVE BEEN.
WE BEGAN THIS YEAR WITH SOME BUDGET IMPACTS. ONE OF THE THINGS WAS WE DID GIVE A, A RAISE FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT IMPACTED THE BUDGET OF AROUND 13 MILLION. WE INCREASED FUNDING TO OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, ABOUT 3 MILLION.
IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN MAY, WE HAD THE STORM.
WE TRANSFERRED 2 MILLION OUT OF THAT YEAR'S BUDGET, AND THEN WE ENDED UP HAVING TO TRANSFER ANOTHER 2.5 MILLION FOR STORM DAMAGE THAT WE HAD FOR THAT STORM THAT HAPPENED IN MAY. AND IN SOME OF THE THINGS WE WORKED ON WE REMEMBER BACK WHEN THE GIBSON AUDIT WAS GIVEN ON WHAT WE COULD DO TO REDUCE STAFF THAT WAS THAT MADE A $5 MILLION IMPACT TO THE BUDGET AND THEN THE CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS WHEN YOU MOVE THE TWO SCHOOLS TOGETHER, YOU HAVE SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT ARE LIKE POSITIONS.
AND SO THEY THOSE POSITIONS WERE MOVED OUT, TO WHERE WE NEEDED THEM AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO THERE WAS A NET DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT 11.5 INCREASE TO THE BUDGET JUST AS WE WENT ALONG.
SO YOU'LL BE RECEIVING A BUDGET AMENDMENT HERE IN A MINUTE.
SO SOME OF THESE NUMBERS MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BUT WHEN WE DO THE FINANCE AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THESE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE WE HAVE A $520 MILLION, I CAN'T EVEN TALK TODAY, THE REVENUE BUDGET AND THEN A $603 MILLION EXPENDITURE BUDGET, WHICH IS PUT US AT 86,526,000 DEFICIT BUDGET. YOU SEE WHERE WE ARE IN ACTUALS AS OF FEBRUARY FOR THE 24-25. AND THEN THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO START LOOKING AT IS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO END? WE ALWAYS HAVE A TYPICAL SWING JUST BECAUSE OF VACANCIES AND UNSPENT BUDGETS AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO WHEN YOU EQUATE THAT TO OUR FUND BALANCE, WE BEGAN THE YEAR WITH 208,000,883 IN
[00:05:06]
THE FUND BALANCE. AND WHEN YOU SUBTRACT OFF THE 58 MILLION, THAT LEAVES US AT 150 MILLION.177. NOW, THIS IS YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR WHAT IS REQUIRED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SLIDE LAST YEAR QUITE A BIT.
YOU CAN SEE OUR PAYROLL COST HAVE GONE DOWN TOWARDS OUR EXPENDITURE BUDGET.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKED SEVERAL TIMES, WELL, WHAT IS THAT MAGICAL NUMBER.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO MAGIC IN IT. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HIT ABOUT 80%.
BUT THAT'S IF YOU'RE IN A BALANCED BUDGET. WHEN YOU'RE IN A DEFICIT BUDGET, THIS IS BASED OFF WHAT 82% IS BASED OFF OUR EXPENDITURE BUDGET, WHICH IF YOU REMEMBER RIGHT BACK HERE, OUR EXPENDITURE BUDGET IS WAY OVER WHAT OUR REVENUE BUDGET IS AT 603 MILLION. WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD AND LOOK AT WHAT THE PAYROLL BUDGET IS BASED ON REVENUES, YOU SEE HOW MUCH HIGHER THAT OUR PAYROLL IS BASED ON THE ACTUAL REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE. SO THIS CURRENT YEAR AT 505, WE'RE AT 97% OF OUR PAYROLL IS AGAINST OUR REVENUE. LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING A LITTLE BIT LATER FOR 25-26, THAT NUMBER COMES DOWN SOME. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE IN A BALANCED BUDGET, YOUR REVENUE AND YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE EQUALLY.
BUT THIS IS KIND OF HOW FAR OFF WE ARE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT OUR WHEN WE SAY 80%, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE COULD STAY A BALANCED BUDGET ONE OF THESE DAYS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES OR PROPERTY TAX RATES, WE HAVE TWO RATES.
ONE IS A M&O TAX RATE AND ONE IS AN INS TAX RATE.
AND THE NO TAX RATE REALLY TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING WE DO DAY TO DAY.
WHETHER IT'S OUR ELECTRIC, WHETHER IT'S OUR UTILITY COST, PAYROLL MAINTENANCE.
THAT IS ALL IN OUR M&O TAX RATE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS DUE TO HOUSE BILL THREE AND EXCUSE ME AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN. AND WHEN WE GET INTO OUR WHAT OUR TAX RATE HAS BEEN, YOU WILL SEE THAT COMPRESSION HAS HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S M&O SUBJECT TO COMPRESSION. INS RATE IS NOT SUBJECT TO COMPRESSION, BUT INS RATE CAN ONLY BE USED TO PAY PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST. THAT IS VOTER APPROVED BONDS.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE CAN USE THAT RATE FOR IS TO MAKE THOSE BOND PAYMENTS.
BUT YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, AND THAT'S WHAT OUR TOTAL TAX RATE IS FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR TAX RATE HAS DONE, AND I ONLY WENT BACK TO 2020 SCHOOL YEAR.
OUR TOTAL TAX RATE WAS AT $1.39. OUR CURRENT RATE IS FOR 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR AS A TOTAL TAX RATE OF $1.509. AND WITH COMPRESSION, BECAUSE OUR VALUES ARE ESTIMATED TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR. THAT WILL COMPRESS OUR 25-26 ESTIMATE FOR OUR TAX RATE DOWN.
A FEW PENNIES OR A PENNY. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I STARTED TALKING ABOUT LAST YEAR IS IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE GREAT THINGS WE DO FOR OUR FOR OUR STUDENTS, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT A. TAX RATE INCREASE.
OR A TAX RATE ELECTION, WHICH WILL BE CALLED PROP A.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THAT WOULD DO IF, IF WHEN, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, WE WOULD STILL BE UNDER THE TAX RATE THAT WE HAD IN 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO AND THAT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
[00:10:12]
WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR M&O RATE TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE SETTING AT THE AT THE LOWEST RATE.AND SO THAT'S THEIR TAX RATE, OR IT'S THE SAME AS OURS.
DENTON IS, IS BECAUSE THEIR COMPRESSION IS NOT AS MUCH AS OURS.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT ON OUR PROPERTY VALUE TREND.
OUR BIGGEST JUMP WAS LAST YEAR FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR WHERE OUR PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED 13, A LITTLE OVER 13%. AND SO I KNOW EVERYBODY TELLS US THAT WE YOU'RE RAISING OUR TAXES.
NOW ONE THING PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THE STATE CONTROLS OUR TAX RATE.
SO THEY IN ACTUALITY THE KIND OF CONTROL YOUR VALUES ARE GOING ALSO.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING, AFTER TALKING TO THE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT THAT THE EARLY ESTIMATES COULD BE ABOUT 7% INCREASE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE RED LINE IS, THAT GENERALLY IS WHERE OUR CERTIFIED VALUES COME IN.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT DOES INCREASE SLIGHTLY.
BUT IT'S IT'S NOT AS BIG AS A 7% INCREASE. SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
THEY'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THEIR PROTEST AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON, ON THE PROPERTY VALUES.
AND ONCE THAT IS SHAKEN OUT, THEN THEY WILL GIVE US OUR CERTIFIED VALUES IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO, YOU SEE, THIS IS JUST WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT A WHILE AGO ON THE TAX RATE RIGHT NOW AND OUR CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, WE'RE AT 10509. OUR PROPOSED RATE RIGHT NOW IS $1.362, WHICH IS ABOUT A PENNY AND A HALF LESS THAN WHERE WE WERE AT FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR.
AS WE MOVE IN TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR 25-26 UNDER THE PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU CAN TELL ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT AFFECTED OUR BUDGET FOR THIS PAST YEAR WAS THE 13.5% INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUES.
OUR TAX OFFICE DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB IN COLLECTING TAXES, AND THEY HAVE HAD ANYWHERE FROM A 99 TO 98% TAX COLLECTION RATE. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS AS WE'RE GOING INTO THIS BUDGET YEAR FOR 25-26, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ENROLLMENT DROPPING ROUGHLY AROUND 750.
SORRY, I'M DOING MATH IN MY HEAD, BUT I'M JUST REMEMBERING WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN OUR ENROLLMENT.
AND THEN DECREASING OUR ADA ABOUT 425 FROM WHERE WE HAD BUDGETED THIS CURRENT YEAR AT 45,822.
THIS IS A GRAPH THAT SHOWS WHERE WE'VE BEEN. AND YOU CAN SEE FROM 2020 TO FOR OUR BUDGET YEAR OF 2026, THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT WE'VE LOST IN ENROLLMENT.
AND EVEN THOUGH OUR ADA HAS BEEN A LOT BETTER THIS YEAR EXCEPT WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR DAYS.
WE NEED TO FILE FOR A WAIVER JUST BECAUSE OF WEATHER AND HEALTH ISSUES.
WE'RE TRACKING ABOUT WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, SAID WE'D BE WE'RE LAST TIME I LOOKED IS AROUND A 94.7% RATE, WHICH LIKE, IF YOU REMEMBER, LAST YEAR WE FINISHED THE YEAR AT 93.7.
SO, BUT THE FOURTH SIX WEEKS HIT US HARD WITH A LOT OF SICKNESS GOING THROUGH OUR, OUR SCHOOLS.
[00:15:06]
AND SO THAT THAT LOWERED SOME OF OUR ADA WHERE WE WERE AT.AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR FIRST PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 25, 26.
YOU CAN SEE THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR OUR 2024- 25, OUR CURRENT YEAR.
THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED. AND THEN THIS IS WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING FOR 25-26.
WE'VE HAD SOME BUDGETS THAT'S ACTUALLY INCREASED.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME INCREASES. ONE OF THEM IS IS OUR SPED BUDGET.
THERE'S ABOUT FOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT WEREN'T ACTUALLY BUDGETING TO WHAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY SPENDING EACH YEAR, JUST ON NORMAL SPEND. AND SO WHAT I DID WAS GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM BUDGET WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, AND THEN, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, TAKE A 10% DECREASE ON THAT BUDGET.
WHAT OUR BUDGET TEAM SPENDS MANY, MANY HOURS ABOUT DECEMBER THROUGH JUNE IS TRANSFERRING MONEY BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH. YOU SEE IT IN OUR CROSS-FUNCTIONAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND TRYING TO COVER BUDGETS WITH BUDGET SAVES.
AND SO I SAID WE NEED TO SLOW THAT DOWN. WE NEED TO ACTUALLY BUDGET WHERE WE'RE AT.
WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT STILL SHOWING US $61 MILLION DEFICIT BUDGET.
WHICH SHOWS THAT ANYTHING THAT THE STATE IS DOING AND A TAX IN A PROP A VOTE IS NEEDED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT STEPS. WE WILL GET OUR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT PRELIMINARY VALUES HERE IN APRIL.
WE WILL HAVE OUR NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP. AND THESE LIKE I SAID, NUMBERS FROM TODAY WILL CHANGE WHEN WE GET TO OUR PRELIMINARY VALUES, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS DONE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND THEN ON JUNE 10TH WE'LL DO OUR LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE'LL HAVE OUR SALARY COMPENSATION GUIDE AT THAT POINT. AND THEN JUNE 24TH IT WILL BE WHERE WE'LL HAVE A BUDGET HEARING.
AND THEN WE WILL ASK FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET.
BUT AND SO THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE HAVE.
AND NOW COMES THE FUN PART. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. DODDS. TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. MILLER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD KNOWS THAT I'VE BEEN FINANCE CHAIRMAN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THAT COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH FINANCES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT MR. DODD AND DOCTOR LOPEZ HAVE PUT FORTH IN THE DISTRICT TO HELP.
I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY RIGHT SIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BUDGET IS JUST REALIZING THAT THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFORDED US SINCE 2019, AND PRIMARILY THAT IS LACK OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO DO ANYTHING TO GIVE RAISES, TO DO ANYTHING.
MR. DODD, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
WHEN I LOOKED AT PAGE 14, WHICH IS THE COMPARISON OF TAX RATES.
IT SEEMED TO ME LIKE, I'M SORRY, IT SEEMED TO ME LIKE WILEY AT ONE POINT HAD MAXED OUT.
SO WHEN COMPRESSION HAPPENS, OUR DISTRICT'S GETTING BACK SOME PENNIES.
SO IF THEY SAY THEY DID AT ONE TIME HAVE GONE OUT FOR THE FULL $0.17 THAT YOU CAN DO ABOVE THE MAXIMUM COMPRESSION RATE, AS THE STATE HAS COMPRESSED THOSE RATES, THOSE PENNIES ALSO COMPRESS.
SO THEY MAY ONLY BE AT 11 OR $0.12 NOW ABOVE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
[00:20:03]
SO WITH RESPECT TO THAT WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE FOR US THEN WHAT THE BASE TAX RATE IS BASE COMPRESSED TAX RATE AND THEN HOW MANY PENNIES WE HAVE UTILIZED AND THEN HOW MANY PENNIES WE POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH. SO I WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.SURE, PUT ME ON THE SPOT. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR MAXIMUM COMPRESS RATE. AND THIS IS THE RATE WE GET FROM THE STATE WHEN OUR CERTIFIED VALUES ARE DONE. THAT GETS SENT IN TO TEA AND THE COMPTROLLER.
AND SO WHEN THEY LOOK AT THAT, THEN THEY WILL SET A MAXIMUM COMPRESSED RATE.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR MAXIMUM COMPRESS RATE IS, IS 6169.
SO THAT PUTS US AT 6669 ON OUR TOTAL TAX RATE THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. YES, WE'VE DONE THAT. YES.
YES. WHICH I UNDERSTAND NOW IS 62. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? MAXIMUM COMPRESSED RATE IS 62. YES. IT'S NO, IT'S, HANG ON A SECOND.
WELL, ON THE SLIDE. THERE IT IS. IT'S AT 6022 WOULD BE.
SIX ZERO. OKAY. SO $0.60, AND THEN WE WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER FIVE ON TOP OF THAT.
YES. SO THAT LEAVES 12 THAT ARE AVAILABLE. CORRECT.
SO WE'LL JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND OF THAT 12 WE HAVE THREE THAT ARE GOLDEN PENNIES.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? CORRECT. AND A GOLDEN PENNY IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH? INCLUDING THE STATE MATCH. SO ANY PENNY OF TAX AND I WILL BREAK THIS UP.
SO IT'S KIND OF HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT CLEARER.
A PENNY OF TAX FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT EARNS 3,162,935.
03,162,935. THAT'S OF TODAY. WHEN VALUES COME IN, THAT COULD CHANGE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE LEVY ON THE PROPERTY VALUES AFTER ALL THE NET HOMEOWNER EXCLUSIONS.
YES. 65 AND OVER. THAT'S TAXABLE VALUE THAT WE HAVE.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN FOR THE GOLDEN PENNIES THEY EARN STATE REVENUE OF 05,771,139. SO THOSE FIVE PENNIES THAT WE MAXIMIZE NOW PLUS THE THREE THAT IF WE WENT OUT FOR A PROP A THAT WOULD INCLUDE THREE THEY EARN THAT, THEY WOULD EARN ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUE.
AND THERE'S THREE OF THOSE. AND THEN THE STATE MATCH ON A COPPER PENNY.
THAT WOULD ADD TO THAT 3,162,935 WHAT WOULD A COPPER PENNY BE WORTH TO THE DISTRICT? NOT MUCH. ABOUT 153,000 ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUE.
SO BASICALLY A COPPER PENNY IS WORTH 3 MILLION.
THEY STILL EARN. I MEAN, IT WOULD STILL BE THE 3.16 MILLION BECAUSE IT'S A PENNY A TAX.
BUT THEN THE STATE MATCH IS NOT IS WAY LESS ON THE ON THE COPPER.
IN OTHER WORDS, I REMEMBER AT ONE TIME I THOUGHT WYLIE, FOR INSTANCE, WAS MAXED OUT ALL 17 PENNIES.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE CHART, THEY'RE NOT EVEN THE HIGHEST TAX RATE.
ARLINGTON IS. I'M ASSUMING ARLINGTON NOW HAS.
EVEN AFTER COMPRESSION, THEY HAVE ALL THEIR PENNIES TO WORK WITH, WHEREAS A DISTRICT LIKE US IS WAY WE'RE WORKING WITH $0.15 LESS TAX EFFORT CURRENTLY, SO. AND THERE MAY BE SOME SPECIAL PROVISIONS IN THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT GOING FORWARD.
[00:25:05]
IT IS A CHAPTER 48 SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PROPERTY POOR SCHOOL DISTRICT SO.SO IN. BECAUSE WE DON'T PAY ANY RECAPTURE BACK TO THE STATE.
THAT WOULD BE CHAPTER 48 DISTRICTS. THE REST OF THEM ARE KIND OF HIGH PROPERTY VALUE IS THAT WE ARE CONSIDERED A PROPERTY POOR DISTRICT JUST IN TERMS OF PROPERTY VALUE. YES WE ARE AND WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT. AND THEN LOOK ON PAGE 15, IF YOU WILL.
IS THIS ONE YOU'RE WANTING? SORRY, MINE ARE NOT NUMBERED UP HERE.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S THE TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUE TREND.
WHAT? YEAH. MY DEAL WENT AWAY. ALL RIGHT, I'LL KEEP GOING FURTHER. YEAH. OKAY. THERE. THAT ONE.
THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY APPRAISED VALUES. ALSO, THAT INCLUDES ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION, EVERYTHING THAT WAS TAXED OR APPRAISED AS TAXABLE THAT YEAR. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE APPRECIATION AVERAGE PROPERTY VALUE APPRECIATION WAS LAST YEAR OR FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD? NO APPRECIATION? I DO NOT KNOW. AS FAR AS WHAT THE BREAKOUT IS, AS FAR AS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE BREAKOUT IS RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT A NUMBER WE HAVE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT.
NO. THEY SHOULD GIVE US THAT WHEN THEY GIVE US OUR CERTIFIED ESTIMATE.
SO THAT'LL COME LATER FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, RIGHT.
YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I HAVE ONE MORE MR. SELDERS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. GO AHEAD. LOOKING NOW ON PAGE 18, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ADA VERSUS ENROLLMENT.
IT WAS. THIS KEEPS GOING AROUND SOMEWHERE TOWARD THE BOTTOM.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'LL TRY TO GET THERE. OR MATT, IF YOU CAN FIND THAT.
THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. THERE WE GO. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN CONTROL IN THE DISTRICT WITH RESPECT TO OUR FUNDING.
THE GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT, THE FEDERAL ENTITLEMENTS ARE WHAT THEY ARE. THE STATE ALLOTMENT IS WHAT IT IS, 6140 WITH VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE GET FOR DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF STUDENT GROUPS AND OUR DATA.
WE DON'T CONTROL PROPERTY TAXES. AND WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL, WE DON'T REALLY EVEN CONTROL TAX RATES.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO DO IS, IS HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ABSENTEES.
AND I'M LOOKING I KNOW WE HAVE LESS ENROLLMENT.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE WE STAND OR HOW WE'RE DOING COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS WITH ABSENCES.
PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT IN THE CHAIR, THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT COUNTED.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT A PERCENT HIGHER THAN WHEN WE WERE LAST YEAR, FINISHED OUT LAST YEAR.
SO WE WERE AT 93.7 WHEN WE FINISHED LAST YEAR.
WE WERE REALLY GOOD. THE FIRST THREE, SIX WEEKS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 95% IN ATTENDANCE. WE HAD OUR FOURTH SIX WEEKS WENT DOWN DUE TO PROBABLY A LOT OF SICKNESS, AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR WAIVER DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO SEND IN.
AND THE WAIVER IS WHEN YOU SOMETHING HAPPENS, BAD WEATHER OR HEALTH ISSUES OR THAT THAT CAUSES YOUR ATTENDANCE TO BE 10% LOWER THAN WHERE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.
BUT RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE WE'RE SITTING AT 94 SEVEN, SO ABOUT 1% HIGHER THAN WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
SO TOTAL ABSENCE ANY DAY IS 4000. SO YES, SOME IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 4700.
[00:30:09]
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SHOWING UP EACH AND EVERY DAY COMPARED TO OUR ENROLLMENT.YOU'RE MISSING SOMEWHERE AROUND 4700 STUDENTS A DAY.
SO A THOUSAND STUDENTS IS AN IMPACT. OF WHAT? ON OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I WAS COMING. I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN INCREASE OUR ENROLLMENT BY 1000 STUDENTS.
THAT MAY BE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE EXPERIENCING.
I'M ASSUMING SOME OF THEM ARE CHRONIC. SOME OF THEM HAVEN'T.
I MAY HAVE GONE TO A CHARTER PRIVATE OR HOME SCHOOL.
ESPECIALLY WHEN $10 MILLION IS VERY CRITICAL TO OUR BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL STOP. I'LL YIELD BACK. MR. SELDERS. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER. MR. BEACH. YEAH.
JUST QUICKLY, A SIMPLE PAGE SIMPLY PAGE 16. SO WE HAVE THE CORRECT DEAL, THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
WE HAVE DOWN 25-25. THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO 26.
ALSO, THEN LOOKING OVER HERE ON THE ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR PROPOSITION A, IF IT WERE TO PASS AND IT SHOWS THE .07722, CAN YOU GIVE WHAT IS THE WHAT WOULD THAT EQUATE TO AS FAR AS AN INCREASE ON A THE VALUATION OF A HOME? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WOULD THE TAX RATE INCREASE TO THAT HOMEOWNER? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IF WHEN WE GET THE PROPOSITION A IF IT PASSES? THAT THAT'S A MIXED QUESTION BECAUSE WE DON'T WE HAVEN'T SET HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING FOR PROPOSITION A.
THERE'S UP TO 12 PENNIES THAT WE COULD GET TO.
OKAY. SO THIS IS AN IMAGINARY NUMBER. IF WE DECIDED TO GO FOR ALL 12 PENNIES.
CORRECT. THIS IS NOT THE POINT. THE .07722 IS AN IMAGINARY NUMBER.
IF ALL 12 PENNIES WERE TO BE PASSED. BUT THE COMMITTEE HASN'T MET, SO THIS WOULD BE OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO TO CAPTURE ALL 12 OF OUR PENNIES. AND IF ONCE THE COMMITTEES MEET, ONCE WE DO ALL OF OUR VETTING, THEN IT WILL BE US TO DECIDE UP TO US TO DECIDE HOW MUCH OF THE PENNIES WE GO AFTER. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW IF WE DID GO OUT FOR ALL 12 WHERE OUR TAX RATE WOULD FALL IN COMPARED TO SOME OTHER YEARS THAT WE THAT WHERE WE WERE AT. OKAY. I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. BEACH. MR. GLICK.
THANK YOU, SIR. I'M GOING TO COMPLICATE MATTERS A LITTLE BIT, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS ONCE A MONTH, I WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., MEETING WITH HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS MEMBERS SENATE FINANCE MEMBERS ACTUALLY GIVING SWORN TESTIMONY TO BOTH GROUPS.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO LATE 2017 AND PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TAX REDUCTION PLAN PASSES. TAKES EFFECT 2018 THAT ALL THOSE PROVISIONS, AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, EXPIRE AT DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. AND SO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS ARE WORKING FEVERISHLY TO PUT TOGETHER A NEW PACKAGE. DIFFERENT VERSIONS GOING ON, BUT I STARTED GETTING CALLS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO.
I'M ALSO A MUNICIPAL BOND BUYER, SO I KNOW THE MUNI MARKET PRETTY WELL.
THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT'S IN FRONT OF BOTH COMMITTEES, SENATE FINANCE AND HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS, TO DO AWAY WITH THE EXEMPTION FOR MUNICIPAL BONDS.
THAT'S SECTION 103 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.
AND WHEN I FIRST WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CALLS, I THINK YOU'RE JOKING, RIGHT.
THIS HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE 1913, I THINK. AND WE'VE ALL KNOWN IF YOU GET A MUNI BOND, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY LESS INTEREST BECAUSE THEY'RE FREE OF ALL FEDERAL TAXATION.
WELL, BOTH COMMITTEES ARE SERIOUSLY THINKING OF WAYS TO RAISE REVENUES, WHICH WILL THEN HELP
[00:35:07]
GET THE NEXT LEVEL OF. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PROPOSED WHETHER IT'S PERMANENT OR THEY EXTEND IT 8 OR 10 YEARS TO GO THROUGH CONGRESS THIS YEAR.NOW, WHAT WILL THAT DO TO US? AND I'VE TRIED TO PUT SOME NUMBERS TOGETHER, BUT JUST THINK, IF YOU WANTED TO BUY MUNICIPAL BOND TODAY AND YOU HAD OUR TAX RATING, OUR CREDIT RATING, WHICH IS THE TOPS OR CLOSE TO THE TOP OF MOODY'S AND FITCH, DOUBLE A PLUS AND DOUBLE A1, YOU'D PAY SOMEWHERE AROUND 4%.
IF THIS PROPOSAL GOES THROUGH. AND RIGHT NOW IT'S SERIOUSLY BEING TALKED ABOUT.
AND WE HAVE TO PAY INTEREST AT THE REGULAR RATE OF CORPORATE BONDS, WHICH I ALSO BUY.
IF YOU WERE GOING TO PAY FEDERAL TAXES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
SO JUST THINK OF WHERE OUR INTEREST RATES COULD GO TO AND WHAT THAT.
SO IF YOU GO TO PAGE 12, YOU LOOK THAT MR. DODDS HAS KEPT THE 3.840, THE INS CONSTANT.
AND YOU MIGHT THINK THAT WILL STAY CONSTANT OR MAYBE EVEN DROP IN THIS CASE.
THERE'S A FAIRLY GOOD POSSIBILITY FROM THE PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
AGAIN, AS YOU NEED REVENUE. NOW, HOW MUCH REVENUE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? LAST YEAR, PEOPLE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOST SOMEWHERE AROUND THIS IS 2024 NUMBERS, ABOUT $52 BILLION IN WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCOME IF THERE WAS A TAX ON THOSE BONDS.
NOW, WHAT ARE THE BONDS ALL PAY FOR? AS YOU KNOW FROM OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT WE CALL INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT CITIES USE IT FOR ROADS, IT'S USED FOR AIRPORTS, IT'S USED FOR HIGHWAYS, IT'S USED FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.
AND THE PUBLIC WORKS AND CIVIL ENGINEERS HAVE GIVEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY A GRADE OF C.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS PROPOSAL PASSES, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THE INTEREST GROUPS REPRESENTING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, WHETHER IT BE CITY, COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IS NOT WINNING THE BATTLE.
IT'S NOT WINNING THE BATTLE. SO WE POTENTIALLY WILL HEAR, I'M THINKING MAYBE AT THE END OF JUNE, BEFORE THE SUMMER RECESS, THAT SECTION 103 HAS BEEN REPEALED.
AND THE FUTURE PROBABLY STARTING MAYBE EVEN THIS YEAR.
I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'LL MAKE IT RETROACTIVE.
THAT WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT AND LOSE A LOT OF LAWSUITS COULD BE GOING FORWARD.
AND THAT NUMBER, THE 3.840, COULD ALSO AFFECT OUR TAX RATE.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUICK QUESTION JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON MR. BEACH'S QUESTION ON THE PAGE WHERE YOU LIST THE PROPERTY TAX RATES AND SHOW IF WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT FOR ALL 12 PENNIES, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
OF THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED THERE, WHICH ONES HAVE GONE OUT FOR TRES? I THINK YOU GO HIGHLAND PARK UP. OKAY. I'LL HAVE TO CHECK ON HIGHLAND PARK.
HAVE GONE. HAVE GONE. HAVE PASSED. THEY'VE ALREADY PASSED OR THEY WOULDN'T BE AT THIS TAX RATE.
OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS I GOT ASKED ALREADY. YOU MENTIONED THAT ON THE FUND BALANCE THAT FOR THE ESTIMATED WILL FINISH WITH AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, 15177. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A LINEAR TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING HERE.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE MEASURE PROP? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH. I'M TALKING THIS IS JUST FINISHING THIS CURRENT YEAR AT 150.
SURE. SO BORROWING. NOTHING PASSES. WE'RE ON CURRENT LAW.
[00:40:07]
SO THAT'S NO LEGISLATION PASSING, RIGHT? AND PROP A, NOT PASSING.BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD BE. I MEAN, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE COULD HAVE BUDGET SAVES, AND WE'RE CONTINUING THAT NOW. WE HAVE A FEW THINGS GOING ON THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE UNTIL THEY FINISH THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.
SURE. COOL. THANK YOU. MR. MILLER? YEAH. JUST REAL QUICK.
JUST FOLLOWING UP. I KNOW THIS IS A PROCESS, AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
IT'S BEEN A DISCUSSION THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY, MANY TIMES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN A AND A PLAN B, AND WE'RE PROBABLY MORE LIKE A PLAN B RIGHT NOW.
I THINK YOU'RE VERY WISE TO, TO THINK ABOUT IN, IN PAST YEARS, WE MAY HAVE DONE SOME BUDGETING WHERE WE ANTICIPATED THINGS HAPPENING WITH LAW, WITH THE LEGISLATURE DOWN IN 2021 AND 2023.
THIS YEAR, I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TAKING THE APPROACH THAT.
OKAY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO ASSUME NOBODY WE DON'T GET ANOTHER PENNY, JUST LIKE 2019 OR 2021 OR 2023.
AGAIN, WHERE THERE'S NO EXTRA FUNDING, THERE'S ONLY INCREASED COST.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A CHANGE OF THINKING. AND I KNOW IT'S A CHANGE OF PROCESS FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
AS A AS A BOARD MEMBER, I'M VERY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT IS GOING ON, AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IT MIGHT GET A LITTLE TIGHT AROUND THE COLLAR. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THESE AREAS, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST BRUSH.
SO I KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO CHANGE IS WHAT I'M SAYING BEFORE WE GET TO JUNE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS START. OKAY, MISS GRIFFIN.
YES. THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING.
HOW WOULD YOU CONSOLIDATE THESE FEW PAGES INTO TWO PAGES FOR OUR COMMUNITY? I CAN COME UP WITH THAT TO ADEQUATELY. SHOW THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE IN.
SO WHICH OF THE TWO PAGES OR HOW WOULD YOU REDIRECT THAT SO THAT AFTER YOU PRESENTED IT TO THEM, I COULD WALK UP TO THEM AND SAY, DO YOU UNDERSTAND OUR SITUATION? AND THEY COULD CLEARLY STATE THAT BACK. WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE THEM? I THINK THE, THE PAGE WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW SHOWING HOW MUCH WE'VE GONE INTO FUND BALANCE.
I MEAN, THAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THAT PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE YOU SEEM TO ADD MONEY BACK TO FUND BALANCE EVEN AFTER CUTS OR EVEN AFTER YEAR. WE ARE NOT. BUT THAT'S ASSUMING, YOU KNOW WHAT FUND BALANCE IS.
YES. YEAH. I MEAN, WE HOPE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER STORM.
WE HOPE THINGS FINISH AT A RELATIVELY SMOOTH PACE.
BUT I MEAN, THAT IS WE WILL BE CLOSE TO THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE MONTHS WORTH OF FUNDING.
THAT'S THREE MONTHS WORTH OF FUNDING RIGHT THERE AT 150.
SO THAT THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. I THINK THE OTHER THING TO SHOW WHERE WE ARE IS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT OUR ESTIMATED BUDGET IS AND WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING AT, AT ANOTHER DEFICIT BUDGET, NOW, I AM ONE THAT WANTS TO GET THIS BACK TO A BALANCED BUDGET, JUST THE WAY YOU ALL ARE, JUST THE WAY EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WANTS THIS.
AND WE'RE WORKING. WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO FIND THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DO A LOT OF THINGS FOR OUR KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE GREAT THINGS. AND BUT UNTIL WE CAN GET THIS NUMBER DOWN OR INCREASE OUR REVENUE TO WHICH EITHER WOULD BE IN PROP A OR WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES AND TRUTHFULLY FOR BOTH.
FOR US, WE NEED BOTH TO HAPPEN. NOW, WHATEVER THAT INCREASE ON PROP EIGHT IS, THAT WILL BE WHEN THE COMMITTEE GETS TOGETHER AND WE GO THROUGH THIS, THAT WE WILL COME OUT WITH THAT. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
[00:45:02]
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I GUESS GOING FORWARD, I MEAN, AND LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER TRUSTEES MENTIONED, THANK YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT.ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT I'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND EVEN BEFORE THEN WAS THAT NOBODY'S COMING TO RESCUE US, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT FOR OURSELVES.
AND SO GOING FORWARD WITH THAT MINDSET, HOW DOES THAT DRIVE SOME OF THE DECISION AND THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO HELP GET TO A BALANCED BUDGET? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE THINGS FOR ME AND MY TEAM.
THIS HAS BEEN A DISTRICT EFFORT. WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THE DISTRICT AND THROUGH TEAM AND GREAT HELP FROM MY COUNTERPARTS OVER HERE. WORKING THROUGH WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
YOU KNOW, AND REALLY OUR WHOLE DISTRICT HAS TAKEN OWNERSHIP IN TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GET TO.
AND SO I THANK THEM AS MUCH AS ANYBODY IS, IS THE HARD WORK THAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT AND THEN CONTINUE. BUT YOU KNOW. WE HAVE TO GET TO A, A BALANCED BUDGET ONE OF THESE DAYS, EITHER THROUGH A PROP A OR INCREASED IN, IN REVENUE FROM THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS PROPOSING A $395 INCREASE.
TRUTHFULLY, THERE ARE $1,350 BEHIND RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FROM THE LEGISLATURE AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS.
BUT THEY'RE STILL WAY BEHIND ON ACCURATELY FUNDING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND SO JUST MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW, THIS DISTRICT HAS DONE SOME GREAT THINGS, EVEN THROUGH CONSOLIDATION AND BEING OUT IN FRONT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND REDUCING COST. AND WE'RE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT AREAS THAT WE CAN REDUCE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HANDLING OUR STAFFING THROUGH ATTRITION.
YOU KNOW, SOME DISTRICTS HAVE COME OUT AND PROPOSED RIFFS.
WELL, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, WE VALUE OUR PEOPLE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS POSITIONS THAT MAY NOT BE THE SAME EXACT POSITION YOU'RE IN, BUT WE'RE WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR, OUR PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SHOWN THAT IN THIS DISTRICT SINCE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, 2019, WE HAVE CONTINUALLY GIVEN RAISES EVEN THOUGH THE DISTRICT HAS NOT BEEN GETTING A RAISE. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST IN THIS CURRENT YEAR, WE DID ABOUT A $13 MILLION RAISE FOR OUR FOR OUR STAFF. WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, BUT WE ARE BEING PULLED BY NOT GETTING RAISES OURSELVES THROUGH, THROUGH THE STATE. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AND I'M NOT SURE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE AFTER I WENT ON THIS, I KIND OF FORGOT WHAT ALL YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'LL ASK IT AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I'M STARTING I'M STARTING TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX A LITTLE BIT AND I'LL STEP BACK OFF, BUT, I DO THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT.
THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT TO TRY TO GET US BACK TO A BALANCED BUDGET.
BUT LIKE WAS SAID, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE GREATEST HELP FROM OUR LEGISLATURE.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO US, ALL OF GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AREA TO STEP UP AND HELP US GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO. I'M GOING TO INTERJECT JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHAT A FEW OF THE MEMBERS SAID.
ONE OF THEM WAS MISS GRIFFIN THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A FUND BALANCE REALLY IS.
AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE US PUT MONEY BACK IN THE FUND BALANCE, THEY WERE THINKING, OH, WE HAVE ALL THIS OTHER MONEY. WE SHOULD NEVER PUT MONEY IN THE FUND BALANCE. WELL, THE DAY YOU DON'T PUT MONEY IN THE FUND BALANCE IS THE DAYS YOU CAN'T GIVE RAISES. ALL OF AND THINK ABOUT THIS.
AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THIS IS THE POWER OF A FUND BALANCE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE WINDS OF 2025. 2024. HAPPENING IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, RIGHT.
AND IT DEVASTATED A LOT OF PARTS OF OUR DISTRICT.
WELL, WHERE FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE THEY CAN RELATE TO THIS.
WE'RE GETTING GOUGED BY INSURANCE AGENCIES AND WE DON'T EVEN GET TO REALLY PREDICT.
WE DON'T EVEN GET TO GET COMPETITIVE BIDS, MUCH LESS DO WE GET TO REALLY SET OUR DEDUCTIBLE.
[00:50:05]
OUR DEDUCTIBLE IS SET ON US. AND IT'S AMAZING, WITH ALL THE DEVASTATION THAT HAPPENED IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE NEVER MEET OUR DEDUCTIBLE.SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FUND BALANCE, IT'S OUR WAY OF MAKING SURE THE DISTRICT STAYS AFLOAT.
THESE ARE THESE ARE THE TRUE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO WE'RE TAKING A LOT OF MEASURES. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE A JOB.
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND THE PINCHES THAT WE'RE FEELING.
IT'S NOT GOING TO FEEL THE SAME AS IT'S DONE IN THE PAST.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO NEED VOTERS HELP TO HELP US MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND THAT AND WE'RE ONE OF THE LAST DISTRICTS TO GET THIS VOTERS HELP.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, MUCH LESS HERE IN OUR, IN OUR COMPETITIVE REGION.
SO YOU ALL HIT THOSE POINTS, YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE PENNIES AND TALKED ABOUT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ONE LAST THING. JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON MRS. GRIFFIN'S I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WAS MAKING A REQUEST, BUT SHE SAID IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SHARE. GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, I THINK IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE.
HAVING A CHRONOLOGY OF THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE IT STARTED AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
AT A GLANCE, MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF TELL THE STORY OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS PLACE AND THEN WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GET BACK TO A BALANCED BUDGET, OR AT LEAST OUR EFFORTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. I THINK THE TWO PAGER ISN'T READY YET.
I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION SO WE COULD LEAD WITH CLARITY.
WHENEVER WE DO THAT. BUT A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT TO DELIVER ONCE WE'RE READY, I THINK IS, IS REALLY POWERFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING POINTS FOR TRUSTEES WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE A CONSISTENT MESSAGE.
SO NO MATTER WHICH SEVEN THAT THEY TALK TO, THEY'LL BE GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL. THAT'S REALLY COOL. GREAT IDEA.
YES MISS STANLEY. SO ON THE PIGGYBACK TO THAT, I THINK.
SO FOR ME, I THINK THERE'S STILL A BIG PIECE THAT WE'RE MISSING THAT WE GET ASKED A LOT.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHY OUR LEGISLATORS DON'T HELP US, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST.
IS THIS THOUGHT THAT WHAT THEY GIVE US FULLY FUNDS EVERYTHING THEY MANDATE THAT WE DO? AND THAT IS REALLY THE REASON WHY WE'RE IN THE POSITION WE'RE IN, IS BECAUSE WE OFFER SERVICES, VERY ROBUST SERVICES THAT WE DO NOT GET PROPER FUNDING FOR.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR TWO PAGER, I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE REALLY HIGHLIGHTED, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US COME TO GISD FOR OUR SPECIAL ED, AND SPECIAL ED ENCOMPASSES NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL SPECIAL ED, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DYSLEXIC AND AUDITORY AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WITHOUT THOSE PROGRAMS, OUR GRADUATION RATE IS GOING TO PLUMMET, OUR JAILS ARE GOING TO INCREASE.
SO I JUST THAT'S MY SOAPBOX. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY HUGE PIECE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO START QUANTIFYING THAT FOR OUR FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN WE THEY DON'T THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB ON THESE SERVICES, WE'RE STILL SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
CORRECT. AND AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, MISS STANLEY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE CALL IT INVESTMENTS BECAUSE WE INVEST IN CHILDREN, RIGHT? AND SOMETIMES INVESTMENTS AREN'T A DIRECT RETURN LIKE WE NORMALLY WOULD THINK.
AND ONE OF THE INVESTMENTS IS SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND AT ONE TIME, I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND AT ONE TIME, THE STATE PUT A CAP ON HOW MANY KIDS COULD BE LABELED SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND ON THAT CAP, THINK OF ALL THE KIDS THAT GOT UNSERVICED RIGHT.
[00:55:06]
AND THEN, NOW THAT THE CAP HAS LEGALLY BEEN RELEASED OVER THE YEARS, WE'RE SEEING A PROFOUND AMOUNT OF CHILDREN THAT QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL, SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND IT'S A BROAD SPECTRUM.THERE'S NOT A COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH, WHICH THEN MAKES THINGS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.
AND WE'RE TAKING AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH. NOW.
BUT THERE STILL HAS TO BE INVESTMENTS MADE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT DOESN'T GO AWAY.
AND WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE CHILDREN IN OUR IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND THAT MEANS MORE AND MORE ADULTS HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO IT.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU, WHEN THE SCHOOL STARTS, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE IF EVEN IF WE PROJECT RIGHT, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE STRETCHING THIN BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S PULLING FROM THE SAME LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. PEOPLE DO NOT GET HOW THOSE ENDS MEET.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. MR. BEACH. ONE FINAL COMMENT FROM ME IS THE FACT THAT TO ME, THIS BOARD WE HAVE BEEN OVER BACKWARDS IN THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD TO GIVE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE GRCT CURRICULUMS AT P-TECH EARLY COLLEGE, YOU NAME IT, WE HAVE BEEN OVER BACKWARDS FINANCIALLY TO HELP THESE KIDS DEVELOP THEIR DREAM AND GET THEIR DREAM.
AND WHAT HURTS ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WHEN I SEE THE ENROLLMENT DROP, WHEN THOSE KIDS ARE BEING OFFERED ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE OFFERING OUT THERE, AND YET ENROLLMENT STILL GOES DOWN, I DON'T GET THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, AS WELL AS ANYBODY PROBABLY SITTING IN THIS AUDIENCE TODAY.
SO THAT REALLY HURTS ME. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF IS THE FACT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGETS AND WE TALK ABOUT FINANCES FOR TEACHER PAY RAISES AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THERE, YOU KNOW, ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, WE HAVE MAINTENANCE OVER HERE IN OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, IN OUR BUILDINGS AND THE NUMBER OF CAMPUSES THAT WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF AND THE COST THAT INFLATION HAS CAUSED NOW IN ROOFING, IN PLUMBING, IN HVAC.
AND THOSE THINGS THAT AND INSURANCE IS LIKE DOCTOR LOPEZ TALKED ABOUT WITH RISK MANAGEMENT AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER. THE ECONOMY DOES.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO US. WE CAN BUDGET FOR IT, BUT YET WE STILL HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND THOSE THINGS, TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF SO THAT PEOPLE DO HAVE THAT.
MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE OPENED UP THE WINDOWS AND TURNED ON THE FANS. WE DIDN'T HAVE HVAC.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING I'M THAT OLD, BUT YEAH, I AM.
BUT BUT TODAY HVAC IS VERY EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE CHILLERS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 72 CAMPUSES THAT WE TAKE CARE OF, IT'S AMAZING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC EYE, AS THEY'RE HOPEFULLY VIEWING THIS TODAY AND KNOW THAT WE'RE BUSTING OUR TAIL TRYING TO MAKE THINGS MEET. AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOUR TEAM HAS TRIED TO DO IN THIS EFFORT.
BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU COULD PROBABLY ASK EVERYBODY HERE ON THIS BOARD ABOUT GIVING A PRESENTATION ON THE PENNIES, AND NONE OF US WOULD GET IT RIGHT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY ALL ABOUT AND TRYING TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS ALIVE FOR THESE KIDS TO DREAM, GET THEIR DREAMS. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANKS, MR. GLICK. THANK YOU. IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF PACKAGE OR 1 OR 2 PAGE DOCUMENT, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE GO TO PAGE EIGHT, THE FUND BALANCE.
I WOULD ALSO IN PARENTHESES OR CALL IT OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
I THINK THAT RESONATES MORE WITH PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENCE FUND BALANCE.
AND IF YOU USE EITHER THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS, EVEN THE PROJECTED NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR, THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS, I THINK THAT'S VERY EFFECTIVE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD.
[01:00:02]
I MEAN, IT DOES IT LOOKS VERY GOOD FOR US ON THAT CHART, BUT IT'S NOT THE REAL TAX RATE.AND THE TAX RATES FOR DALLAS COUNTY AND OTHER SCHOOLS IN COLLIN COUNTY ARE READILY AVAILABLE.
SO I WOULD PUT THE REAL TAX RATES, AND WE'RE STILL VERY CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM ON THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU, SIR.
THE REASON I DID THAT WAS JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE PAST BONDS.
PEOPLE HAVEN'T PASSED BONDS IN YEARS. AND SO THOSE TAX RATES FLUCTUATE SO MUCH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW WHERE WE LIE IN THE NO SIDE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE RECENTLY PASSED A BOND.
SO OUR RATE IS THERE. AND SO YOU MAY HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVEN'T PASSED BONDS IN A WHILE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL.
DOCTOR LOPEZ, DO WE HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS? NO, SIR. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT?
[VI. Adjournment]
IT IS 3:06, AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.