The Pflugerville ISD board of trustees approved a 6 cent tax rate increase, along with a final $160 million budget for the 2012-13 school year.
The board approved the 6 cent increase to the interest and sinking (I&S) or debt service portion of the tax rate, raising the rate from 44 cents in 2011 to 50 cents, the maximum the state allows. With the district operating under a balanced budget for the 2012-13 year, the maintenance and operations tax rate at $1.04 remains unchanged from the previous year.
But with the prospect of the district adding more debt through future bonds, which officials say are required to keep up with growth demands, finance officials in the district called for an increase in the I&S rate.
Kenneth Adix, chief financial officer for PISD, said Templeton Demographics, a demographer hired to assess the district's growth, projected PISD enrollment to increase by 300 students next year. Projections for the next six years show enrollment numbers climbing by additional 6,000 students. Because of that growth, district officials say more bonds will be necessary to build schools and facilities to accommodate an influx of students.
