The Avalon ISD tax ratification election is Saturday, October 11, 2008 at the Avalon ISD library. Voting runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Avalon will be voting on whether or not to set the tax rate from $1.04 to $1.17 for Maintenance and Operation (M&O) in order to maximize state funding for Avalon ISD. This tax rate is still 26 cents lower than three years ago. Also it is the maximum allowable M&O tax rate to be levied.

Homeowners with frozen taxes (65+) will not have an increase in their tax bill due to their homestead.

This election will be an opportunity for Avalon to maximize its state funding. The tax rate is currently at $1.04. In order to maximize state funding from the Texas Education Agency, Avalon residents are asked to vote to approve an M&O tax increase of an additional 13 cents which is the maximum allowable tax rate. If approved the 13 cents will generate an additional $40,000 in local taxes but it will also generate an additional $175,000 in state revenue for 2008-2009 and beyond.

If approved, the increase for an average home costing $64,000 will be only $103.00 a year. This means you will only be paying an additional $8.65 per month or 28 cents per day.

If this tax increase passes it means a whole lot to the students of Avalon ISD. It will allow for additional funds to begin replacing aging school buses and school vehicles. Mr. DelBosque, Avalon ISD Superintendent, explained, “To purchase a new school bus the cost is seventy to eighty thousand dollars. We have one bus that is seven years old but the rest are going on 20 years old. We need to start replacing buses. The driver’s education car is a 20 year old Taurus and has seen it’s last student. It also needs to be replaced. In Avalon we get approximately $16,000 for transportation.”

Project Extra is an enrichment program that is funded by a five year federal grant. This is it’s fifth and final year of grant funding. This program really helped the “at risk” students. “At risk” means a student has failed the TAKS test, or is an ESL student (English Second Language) or students that have been retained in the same grade. DelBosque said, "Our Project Extra program has turned the corner academically in my opinion. We have 66 percent of our kids from first grade to the eighth grade that participate in this program. When we did the study on this program we found that the students that participated gained 15 percent on their TAKS test. This program lessens the gap between the “at risk” kids and the non “at risk” kids. This program helps to make sure every child has the same opportunity to learn. If the tax increase passes the program could be saved."

This tax increase would also provide for an early elementary age-appropriate playground on campus for Avalon’s 65 students ranging from ages three to seven, update current safety and security systems, allow financial flexibility in providing competitive teacher and staff salaries, allow funds to keep up with escalating prices of fuel, diesel, natural gas and electricity and provide for maintenance or replacement of aging building needs — such as side entrance doors to the elementary and cafeteria.

It takes extra money to give the extras to the Avalon ISD students.

Mr. DelBosque said, “We are asking the taxpayers to invest in their community and their kids. This can generate more funding for their school other than state taxes. We want to be able to provide the same opportunities for our Avalon students as Plano or any other large school district does for their students.”