2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Chron: Nearly $100 Million In District Fund Balance (Special Acct.)!

FORT BEND ISD
Board considers increase in tax rate, salaries
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Full story available at the chronicle-click here-

A 2-cent tax rate hike and a 3-percent pay raise for all employees are included in a budget proposal that Fort Bend Independent School District officials are fine-tuning for 2008-09.
Residents will have a chance to tell school officials what they think about the proposed budget of $474 million at a public meeting on Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. at the district administration building, 16431 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land. . .

. . .The proposed $474 million budget would include expenditures totaling about $11.3 million more than the 2007-08 budget.
As the proposed 2008-09 expenditures would fall short of the projected revenues by $9.3 million, district officials are considering dipping into a pool of funds known as the fund-balance account. The account, with a current balance of $93.8 million, is surplus money leftover from previous year budgets.

That balance exceeds the maximum amount of what the state recommends to keep in savings for rainy days by $18 million, according to officials of the Fort Bend Employee Federation, a district employee union that has been pushing for higher pay increases for classified employees such as bus drivers and workers at cafeterias and warehouses.
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FBW comment:

Do the voters realize that the district is keeping nearly 100 million dollars in a fund balance account from past budgets? How much more of our monies are being tucked away without our approval for a "rainy day".

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Related comments from area blogs:

« districtspin wrote on Wednesday, Aug 13 at 05:58 PM »
'According to the district, however, Jenney has received neither a raise nor a bonus.

Jenney’s next performance evaluation is not scheduled until January. At that time, trustees will decide whether or not he receives a raise or performance incentive. ' very carefully worded response from the district. It didn't say they weren't discussing the raise, just denied he had (past tense) received one.

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Wednesday, Aug 13 at 05:49 PM »
"FactuallySpeaking wrote on Sunday, Aug 10 at 06:59 PM »

BULLYFORYOU,

I heard that rumor too, to the tune of approximately $100,000 raise for the superintendent in a budget crisis and an economy meltdown; now, maybe it is only a rumor, but that “is” the word on street. Entering the 2008-2009 with stooped backed teachers and low morale without any mention of a raise for them who carry the weight of those who “really” get paid without having any instructional contact with the kids. If this rumor is true, that’s probably why we have not had heard about a raise for the teachers. There is no money left for the teachers."......

rumors......now I see where the hate comes from....

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

« FactuallySpeaking wrote on Wednesday, Aug 13 at 07:41 PM »
BULLYFORYOU asked about a rumor heard; my response confirmed that I had heard the same rumor as well.

And so to the contrary, no H-a-t-e. If the rumor is a rumor, then so be it; and in the final analysis, this could spell L-o-v-e for teachers, possibly a well deserved raise for them, since the rumor circulating is only a rumor and nothing more.

« midnightrider wrote on Wednesday, Aug 13 at 06:28 PM »
This reminds me of a piece I read in Bev's Burner column, '...Have you noticed......The clamp down in news coming from Fort Bend ISD. Before this new superintendent, (I believe his name is Jenny, although I have never spoken over three words to him--”Hello, how are you?” Nor he to me.) the school district was pretty open with its news. If there were problems, they told you and they told you they were working on them.

Now, there are no problems. Problems? What problems? Oh, you mean that concussion one of our police officers has? Oh, you mean the ambulances hauling students out? Oh, you mean the county-wide “officer assist” call that went out at Marshall high school with news copters hovering overhead? Oh, the three policemen attacked three days in a row? Oh, the computers stolen and the grades hacked were not connected?'

Anonymous said...

« NMT wrote on Wednesday, Aug 13 at 10:37 PM »
how can we trust a district that hides almost $94 million tax dollars in a "fund balance". Doesn't this mean that they have over-budgeted in order to create this "rainy day fund". Did they ask the voters to create such a large account?

"As the proposed 2008-09 expenditures would fall short of the projected revenues by $9.3 million, district officials are considering dipping into a pool of funds known as the fund-balance account. The account, with a current balance of $93.8 million, is surplus money leftover from previous year budgets.

That balance exceeds the maximum amount of what the state recommends to keep in savings for rainy days by $18 million, according to officials of the Fort Bend Employee Federation"

Trust who? I'm with you factually!

JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 06:13 AM »
" Entering the 2008-2009 with stooped backed teachers and low morale without any mention of a raise for them who carry the weight of those who “really” get paid"....perpetuating rumors and hate....

Wha?!?!....me spreading rumors?...wha?....hahaha

Anonymous said...

« concernedparent wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 08:03 AM »
Looks like another tax increase is on the way. I sure would hope they wouldn't reward the leader of the schools for academically acceptable, average, performance.
« FactuallySpeaking wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 07:14 AM »
JBB,

You are really among those who are not responded to by me. However, I must call you out as an obvious admirer because those who make a conscious effort to "stalk" certain posters while not responding to others who post the same like ideas/ideals as the "one being stalked", really defines himself/herself as an admirer of the one being stalked. You pay far too much attention me by always stalking upon my commentary while simultaneously ignoring the ones who have posted likewise. My life is full of too many admires already; I regret not having the time to take on another admirer. If an opening should occur on my dance card, I’ll let you know.

Anonymous said...

« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 08:39 AM »
".... known as the fund-balance account. The account, with a current balance of $93.8 million, is surplus money leftover from previous year budgets."

Consider this, the district is keeping nearly a 100 million dollar fund balance. Almost 20 million over state suggested guidelines. Additionally they included, in November of last year, a record bond/debt to target growth. Why, with all this money, can they not balance the budget without a tax increase this year? They should be able to give the teachers a raise and balance the budget while bringing down the size of the fund balance within state guides. Further, who is conspicuously not at the table during all this? Over the past few years we have seen the district charged full market value on land for the big master-planned communities who need district schools in their communities to sell homes/land. Why are these large companies not at the table kicking in the school land at cost? Why are some of these development companies allowed to proliferate high density multi-family housing in our school districts knowing full well it creates over-crowded conditions with less produced taxes per student head. This is the same crowd that pushed through the record bond debt for the district last year spending mega-bucks advertising for it. Shouldn't they be at the tax table giving back to the community, rather than just taking? Sugar Land city council is engaged in an apartment dispute with a company right now that could further harm the district as we urbanize.

All parties need to be at this table kicking in before taxes are jumped up!!!

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 08:47 AM »
"Anthony1 wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 08:00 AM »

To all posting on Teacher and FBISD employee salaries.... stop listening to rumors and either attend a board meeting / budget workshop or view them on line. Become an informed taxpayer.

Factually speaking- you are being sarcastic right? You don't really believe all that do you?"

unfortunately Anthony just because posters like FS don't believe these rumors...doesn't mean they don't have an agenda....

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 09:35 AM »
Good question MR, but I think we need to look at the purpose of a fund like this that was not approved by the taxpayers.

PS FS, looks like our "village idiot" is still being negative, rather than concerned about the eminent tax increases. Funny, he lives in a city that is going to get a double whammy again via city tax increases for his golf course (remember they have already used up the funds the mayor claimed would cover it from the 2003 bond by "slipping" those funds or changing their use without the voters/taxpayers input and now the district too. It sounds like last year and the year before. Amazing when you think this guy pretends to be a conservative against taxation while he defends it at several levels via his crony networks...what a farse as well as an idiot). Just keep ignoring him, he's pretty dense.

PPS JBB, who are you talking to?

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Saturday, May 24 at 06:13 AM »

"."...are teachers the biggest whiners are what....they have a cush job...very little stress and all they do is bitch. Try working in a real job where you actually have to produce a product...instead teaching to the test.

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 09:24 AM »
but but but...if I can't spread rumors....how can I spread my hatred.....

But the people that don't fit

Get the only fun they get

From people puttin' people down
« midnightrider wrote on Thursday, Aug 14 at 09:11 AM »
I read that chronicle article and what I don't understand is the 'fund balance' one or many different accounts?