School board struggles with $18 million budget deficit
SESHADRI KUMAR
Even as the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees Monday night wrestled with an $18 million deficit in a $498 million budget, some taxpayers took the board to task for raising the debt service tax rate by 3.5 cents per $100 valuation.
The administration and the board, on the other hand, took credit for a much smaller increase in the debt service tax rate than was anticipated.
During the public hearing on the budget, Michael Lee submitted a “writ of remonstrance” against the trustees for “failing” the people and asked each trustee to resign immediately.
The writ was signed by 525 people and Lee gave a sworn affidavit stating that he witnessed each person signing the writ.
The speakers opposing the tax hike were mainly faulting the school district for proceeding with the multi-million dollar Global Science and Technology Center at a time when the country is in an economic crisis.
Kevin Tunstall said public confidence in elected officials was at an all time low. A couple of trustees during their campaign said they would not support a tax hike and now they should keep their promise, Tunstall said. . .
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Chronicle UPDATE 8-14: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6570179.html
Youtube video of presentations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2Jq2HWaAk
