Dallas ISD may go to voters for property tax hike
10:49 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Grappling with declines in property taxes, meager reserves and the prospect of no pay raises next school year, Dallas ISD is considering asking voters to raise taxes for schools.
Local property taxes largely fuel school budgets, and every penny added to DISD's tax rate would raise about $7.1 million, according to district budget documents. The tax rate is applied to the taxable value of property.
If voters were willing to approve an additional 8.5 cents, the district would reap $58.9 million – enough to cover 2 percent pay raises and performance bonuses for teachers, and replenish district fund balances with $26 million, the documents show.
Nothing is certain and the idea is preliminary. Trustees are just beginning their review of a recommended budget for next school year, and are scheduled to discuss the district's tax rate at a board briefing meeting today.
The recommended budget for the district's main operating funds