Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | June 2024

Education

BY ELLE BENT

Austin ISD ocials approved a scal year 2024-25 operating budget of $953.99 million and took on a decit of $41.25 million June 20—as long as the board votes to place a tax rate increase on the November ballot. Without an increase in the tax rate to $0.9287 per $100 of property value and other savings, the decit reaches about $78.2 million—the largest ever for AISD. Before recapture—when the state takes property tax dollars from a district—the general fund totals $1.78 billion. The operating budget is left at $953.99 million after paying $821.06 million in recapture. Austin ISD eyes tax increase to ease decit

How we got here

"AISD did not put the [district] here; the state not supporting public education by way of funding has really exacerbated this problem that we have. My hope is that our legislators are paying

In mid-April, AISD sta discovered property value growth and average daily attendance rates were lower than they expected, bringing the pre- dicted $60 million shortfall to $89 million before cuts, resulting in less revenue for the district. Ocials made about $29 million in cuts to central oce positions and other costs this spring for FY 2024-25 to oset the decit. AISD ocials are pointing to multiple issues with public education funding that impact the budget, including: • House Bill 3, passed during the 88th legislature session, mandating an armed security guard at every campus, incurring more costs to the AISD Police Department • A loss of $7.8 million promised in Medicaid reimbursements for special education students due to the ndings of a federal audit

attention to the pain that school districts are going through right now." MATIAS SEGURA, AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENT

• The basic student allotment—the amount school districts receive from the state based on student enrollment and attendance—not increasing since 2019 despite ination • Slow property value growth due to Senate Bill 2, a property tax relief plan passed during the 88th legislative session

Budget spending

Going forward

General fund: $1.78B Debt service fund: $241.25M Food service fund: $47.42M

would receive a one-time incentive payment of $500, as opposed to a pay increase. “Our community has the ability to make a decision on taxes, their dollars can support our schools,” Education Austin president Ken Zaris said. “Every stone needs to be turned before cuts are made at schools.” District ocials will discuss possible revenue streams and vote on placing a VATRE on the ballot at a future board meeting.

District ocials will likely ask the community to vote on a tax rate increase in a Voter Approved Tax Ratication Election, or VATRE, in November. If approved, ocials predict a VATRE would generate about $42 million in additional revenue. This would be about an increase of $35 a month to homeowners. Members of Education Austin, the district labor union, expressed support of a VATRE at a June 6 board meeting. Without it, full-time employees

Total: $2.06B

The district will pay $821.06 million, or 48% from the general fund to recapture. This leaves an operating budget of $953.99 million.

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN  DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

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