Buffalo school board dumps tax increase

Dorris Ann Courmier seeks answers during the BISD School Board’s public meeting. Van’Go’photo At Monday evening's special called meeting of the BISD School Board, the trustees had some new figures presented to them and reconsidered the 2-cent/$100 property tax value I&S tax increase which they had previously published.

Several community members were present at Monday evening's meeting to address the Board with their concerns and objections to any increase in the I&S (debt payment) tax rate. No increase was under consideration for the M&O (maintenance and operations) rate. Guests were limited to five minutes to present their arguments, most of which centered around questioning the District's accumulation of surplus funds and challenging the wisdom of continuing with a building program during recessionary times. The Board was not required to respond, but at the conclusion of the 30-minute session, President Jim Scott assured everyone that their comments would be taken under consideration.

Dr. Russell Jonas defends his position in favor of a modest increase in the I&S tax rate. Van’Go’photo In the second portion of the meeting, BISD Business Manager Jeannine Myers presented the Board with two budget options. The first reflected a 2-cent increase in taxes to pay a portion of the I&S (bond debt), with $419,000 coming out of the General Fund surplus. The second option reflected no increase in the I&S tax rate, but took the entire $500,000 owed directly from the General Fund surplus.

The Board voted for the second option, adopting the budget of $9,222,699 which will take the entire annual I&S payment out of General Funds which the district saved while the property values were inflated with oil and gas money. Dr. Russell Jonas and Jennifer Humphries voted against the motion, which passed 5-2. The newly-proposed tax rate requires another public hearing, and that was scheduled for the hour preceeding the September 20th board meeting.

After the adoption of the budget, the Board members attempted to explain their plans for stewardship of the district's taxes. Humphries reiterated how the district had managed to save the surplus funds. "When the oil and gas money was available, we did NOT raise our budget. We operated very frugally, very carefully." Dr. Jonas chimed in, "If you don't make long range plans -- long term goals -- and save for that, how are you going to grow?" Several Board members expressed concerns that, should the current economic trends continue and the district lose still more of its property value next year, a large tax increase may become inevitable.