Frisco ISD approves budget with 4-cent tax rate increase

The Frisco ISD board of trustees on Monday unanimously approved a proposed 2012-2013 budget based around a 4-cent tax rate increase. If the tax rate is approved later this summer, the increase will raise Frisco residents' current maintenance and operating tax rate from $1.00 to $1.04 per $100 in property valuation. The new budget was discussed as part of a regularly scheduled board of trustees meeting.

The board was quick to point out at the meeting that most school districts in Collin County have a higher maintenance and operating tax rate than Frisco ISD. For the 2011-2012 school year, for instance, the Collin County average was $1.09. Frisco ISD has maintained a $1 rate since the 2008-2009 school year.

Of the 14 school districts in Collin County, Frisco ISD had the lowest maintenance and operating tax rate. Six school districts -- Anna, Community, McKinney, Melissa, Plano and Princeton -- had the next-lowest rate at $1.04. The highest rate was $1.17, held by five school districts -- Allen, Blue Ridge, Farmersville, Prosper and Wylie.

At the meeting, Frisco residents were allowed to speak openly on the proposed budget before the board took a vote. Four residents chose to speak, with two residents voicing their support for the new budget and two voicing disapproval. Following the approval, about 15 residents left the meeting.

"I would consider this budget disappointing -- particularly if a comparison is made between last year's [budget] and this year's [budget]," John Miller said. "...I think it's totally irresponsible to have this sort of budget increase in the environment taxpayers are coming from these days."

Former board candidate Allen Biehl spoke in support of the budget, saying the school district was simply doing what was required of it to provide a quality education for Frisco ISD students.

"I think our board's done a wonderful job the last few years of keeping Frisco not only competitive as a school district, the largest exemplary school district in the state, but also in doing so having reduced [tax] costs compared to neighboring cities," Biehl said.

A maintenance and operating tax rate of $1.04 is the highest rate allowed by the state without the use of a special tax ratification election. The state caps maintenance and operating tax rates at $1.17.

State-wide, only 92 school districts had a maintenance and operating tax rate less than $1.04. The majority of districts, 623, had a tax rate of exactly $1.04, and 309 districts had a tax rate higher than $1.04.

Frisco ISD's 2012-2013 general fund budget as approved is set at $321.55 million, an increase over the district's 2011-2012 actual expenditures of $301.481 million. The new budget's increase is primarily related to the school's fast expansion, the board said. From 2008-2009 to 2011-2012, Frisco ISD grew by 9,361 students.

The new tax rate will not go into effect until the board votes on the issue specifically later this summer. Its approval is a near-certainty as the approved budget will receive more than $6.5 million from the increase.

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