ACTION REQUIRED

October 15, 1999

To the Superintendent Addressed:

This is a followup to the survey of August 30, 1999 in which you were asked to project your district’s tax rates for the 1999-2000 school year.  Your prompt response to that survey was appreciated.  The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations has now requested the reason(s) districts maintained or raised their tax rates.  

Please report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), using the table below, your tax rates as adopted for the 1999-2000 school year and the primary reason for maintaining or raising the 1999-2000 rates.  If your district lowered its tax rates please complete only parts A and C. 

County-District # ________________		District Name ________________________________________
	
Tax Rates

Maintenance & Operations

Interest & Sinking

Total	1998-1999

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________	1999-2000 (adopted)

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________	Amount of Change (+ or -)

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

Check the single most significant reason for maintaining or raising your tax rate.  Feel free to provide a reason not listed or to add explanatory comments under “Other.”
	
___  Salary increases and related expenses
___  Property value decline (not oil & gas)
___  Oil & gas value decline	___  Enrollment decline
___  New or increasing debt
___  Maximize Tier II	___  Increase in recapture
___  Depleted Fund Balance
___  Transportation costs	

Other:	________________________________________________________________________________________

	________________________________________________________________________________________	

Printed name of person authorized to complete this form _________________________________________________

Signature _______________________________	Phone (_____) ___________________	Date _____________

Return this completed page to TEA by mail or by fax at (512) 463-9227 or (512) 463-9233 by Friday, October 29, 1999.  The agency must receive this data on time in order to prepare a report for the Chairman by November 5, 1999.

This information is critical to decision makers in Austin and your prompt attention to this request is essential.  Please contact Ed Flathouse at (512) 463-5899 should you have any questions regarding this survey.  Again, your cooperation in this and in the earlier survey is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jim Nelson
Commissioner of Education