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Perrin-Whitt CISD loses tax appeal

Wed, 06/01/2022 - 5:00 am

PERRIN – Perrin-Whitt CISD lost its appeal with the Texas Association of Tax Assessors, which will force the district to be creative with its funding for next year’s budget.

PWCISD Superintendent Cliff Gilmore told board members the district had been fighting a battle with local district appraisal values in Jack County for years, PWCISD officials believing the local valuation was coming in way too low as the difference between state and local valuations was something to the tune of $40 million. That affected the amount of money the state gave them as well.

The district hired tax attorneys Brandon, Fielders, Collins, Mott and Perdue for an appeal and lost.

“We were told that houses in the area were selling at state valuation not local valuation, which is the reason we lost,” Gilmore explained.

Gilmore said the district’s still to be used ESSER money will be used for payroll this summer. Gilmore said the district not using all of its 2022 budget will also help meet budget.

Gilmore said there is some good news for next year. Preliminary valua tions locally in the county went from $196 million to $246 million. That, and Parker County valuations in the district also went up $16 million, will mean a $66 million increase in local valuations for next year.

“It’s gonna mean a little hit for this year, but we’re going to be okay,” Gilmore said.

In other news:

• Board members approved combining the junior high athletic banquet, awards assembly and 8th grade graduation into one event for next year. Gilmore explained parents were unable to attend many of the events and wanted to see if he could get more participation by combining the three.

• Approval was also given for getting a certified nurse’s position for the school for the 2022-23 school year. Gilmore said in talks with Region 9, there is a pool of ESSER money for districts that don’t have a certified nurse on staff.

The up to $80,000 would be paid from September through March. Area districts such as Bellevue and Midway have already done it with Bryson looking into the proposal, Gilmore said.

• Board members also approved spending about $30,000 to refinish the floor in the gym. The floor is refinished every year but after time the floor has turned very yellow due to all the wax on it.

Under this summer’s proposal, which will close the gym for most of the month of July, the wax will be taken off to reduce the yellow and the three-point line will be more highlighted. Everything else in the gym, including the Pirates and Lady Pirate logos and the flag at midcourt will be kept the same, Gilmore said.