BOARD APPROVES 2014-15 BUDGET; SETS TAX RATE

The Los Fresnos CISD Board of Trustees approved two major items at a Special Called meeting Monday, September 25th – approving the 2014-15 fiscal year budget and adopting a tax rate.

Funds delegated in the $99.6 million budget include $84.1 million in the General Fund, $7.2 million in the Child Nutrition Fund, almost $4.1 million the Transportation Fund, and $4.1 million in the Debt Service Fund.

The budget is less than the 2013-14 budget of $112 million that included construction funds for the addition at Los Fresnos United Ninth Grade campus.

Membership (enrollment) was projected at 10,626 for budget planning purposes.

Planned capital outlay from the General Fund includes Air Conditioning replacements and Gym Roofs at Lopez-Riggins Elementary, Palmer-Laakso Elementary, and Villareal Elementary.

Items rolled into the budget from last year’s budget include the Los Fresnos United Classroom Expansion and the Los Fresnos High School Welding Shop.

Projects started in last year’s budget that are in progress include the LFU Band Hall and locker rooms, and the TSSI Safe Room/Gymnasium. Parking lot improvements at Los Cuates Middle School, which is used at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium, are planned.

There are also five new district buses in the 2014-15 budget.

During the Public Hearing portion of the meeting, Chief Financial Officer David Young explained the budget that determined the tax rate.

Trustees also approved a resolution, ordinance, and order to adopt the proposed Ad Valerem tax rate of $1.17 per $100 valuation for Maintenance and Operations, and $.02 per $100 valuation for the Interest and Sinking fund, for a total tax rate of $1.19.

The adopted tax rate of $1.19 has been the same since August of 2011 when it was lowered from $1.20.

Los Fresnos CISD taxpayers did not pay additional taxes unless the value of their property increased.