COPPERAS COVE – For the sixth consecutive year, Copperas Cove ISD taxpayers will see their tax rate drop.
Thursday, during a special meeting of the CCISD Board of Trustees, the board approved lowering the total tax rate to the district by almost six cents per $100 valuation, as well as the adoption of an $89.4 million operating budget.
During the 2024-25 fiscal year, which begins Sept. 1st, the district will make its final payment on the 2005 bond series. That money, which is generated through the Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate, allows for the district to lower the rate in I&S by 5.6 cents to $0.020203 per $100 valuation.
“We appreciate the board for approving the new budget and continuing to prioritize the needs of students,” CCISD superintendent Dr. Joe Burns said. “We hope the community sees our continued efforts to put students first in everything we do and overcome any challenges we may face along the way.”
The Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax rate adopted by the board remains $0.7575.
“Our community will see their property taxes go down this year, despite the M&O tax rate remaining the same, as the result of the final payment on the 2005 bond,” said Cliff Heath, CCISD’s Chief Financial Officer. “We always work to be good stewards with our community’s tax money and we hope that they see that with this adoption.”
With the expiration of ESSER and TCLAS funding, first issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, the district’s budget was reduced by about $800,000. The estimated budget deficit adopted by trustees is approximately $2.6 million, which is smaller than the approximately $6.5 million deficit adopted by the board for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Although the district’s budget has decreased, it has continued to ensure student safety. The implementation of the district’s School Marshal program has provided a financial savings of about $350,000, while keeping all students and staff safe at campuses.
Although the costs for goods and services continue to rise, the basic allotment received from the state remains the same as in 2019.
The board also approved a resolution to allocate almost $35 million from the district’s fund balance toward emergency repairs, land purchase for anticipated growth and future facility construction. The remaining $28 million is uncommitted, to ensure four months of operating expenses as outlined in board policy.
The Board of Trustees is next scheduled to hold its regular workshop on Sept. 9th with its regular meeting scheduled for the following evening.
Both meetings will take place in the CCISD Board Room at the District Service & Training Center. Once posted, agendas may be viewed at CCISD.com/SchoolBoard.