Over 65 homestead exemption increased for school taxes

Local News

February 21, 2011

By DAVID WILFONG Herald-Banner Staff The Zope Gazette Mon Feb 21, 2011, 08:48 AM CST

ROYSE CITY — Taxpayers in the Royse City Independent School District over the age of 65 will soon see their tax bill drop a bit as a result of a recent vote by the local school board.

By a unanimous vote, the Royse City ISD chose to increase the homestead exemption for taxpayers over the age of 65 from $13,800 to $25,000 at least week’s RCISD Board of Trustees meeting.

According to Jimmy Butler, the district’s financial director, the change would affect 760 homeowners living in the RCISD. RCISD Superintendent Randy Hancock stated that Rockwall’s exemption was $30,000, while school districts to the east of Royse City maintained an exemption of $10,000.

Hancock had offered up the figure of $20,000, which would have put Royse City directly in between the figures used by the districts surrounding it.

Hancock then asked Butler to explain that the financial drop in revenues created by upping the exemption for seniors only affected half of the funding equation for the schools.

“The way the funding is today, whatever we lose in local funds the state makes up because we’ve still got target revenue that we’re dealing with,” Butler said. “So from the M&O (maintenance and operation) side, it really wouldn’t make much difference, it’s only from the I&S (interest and sinking) side. That’s the only place where we really get to keep our tax revenue and it has no effect on our state revenue.”

There was some question on the board as to whether or not changing the exemption was necessary at all considering the fact that the RCISD was still above both Hunt and Colling County school districts.

“I think it’s necessary,” said board member Bobby Summers, “I think we have an obligation to that group. They’ve supported our schools and they have supported the things we’ve asked for. I think it’s time that we did something in return.”

Summers suggested “splitting the difference” between what Hancock had recommended and the figure used by the Rockwall ISD and offered up an exemption of $25,000.

The action comes partly after the recent Tax Ratification Election, when some residents over 65 years of age were caught in a window of confusion over exactly when the tax “freeze” took effect on prpoerty values for seniors. These residents received letters from the school district stating that it would not affect their taxes, when in reality it would have. There were less than 30 individuals affected by this error. The raise in exemptions will affect all resident sover 65.

Following the meeting, Butler noted that the change in the exemption would cause a $132,787 drop in revenues for the district, most of which would be made up by the state in the M&O side of the equation. The difference would cause a $33,197 drop in revenues which would have applied to the I&S side.

Text Only

Local News

2012 LIVE ELECTION BLOG NOW ACTIVE
Click the following link to get into the action.

May 10, 2012 1 Photo
Ringo named Royse City High School principal
Dr. Brent Ringo will begin new duties on July 1 as principal at Royse City High School.

May 25, 2012
Rockwall prepares for Patriot Half
About 700 runners from 115 cities, 12 states and the District of Columbia have registered to participate in a Memorial Day event that’s being tabbed as the largest road race ever held in Rockwall.

May 24, 2012
IH-30 overpass town hall meeting scheduled for May 31
A town hall meeting will be held on May 31 to give Royse City residents an opportunity to receive information, ask questions and provide input regarding the upcoming construction of the Interstate 30-Erby Campbell Boulevard overpass.
The meeting will be held at the First Baptist Church of Royse City, beginning at 7 p.m.

May 23, 2012
School board member retires, but pledges to ‘be around’
For the first time in about 13 years, Dr. Rhonda Phillips-Black is not a member of the Royse City Independent School District’s Board of Trustees.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
Board meeting, a “tough night, exciting night ... a night of change”
A meeting of the Royse City Independent School District’s Board of Trustees last week was described as a “tough night, exciting night” as board members said “goodbye” to a retiring superintendent and a fellow trustee, and “welcome” to a new superintendent.

May 21, 2012 1 Photo
Tornado cleanup could continue with ‘day of volunteering’
Organizers who still are involved in tornado relief efforts in the Royse City area soon may issue a plea for volunteers to help pick up debris that covers a large area.

May 18, 2012
Branding Royse City is topic of city council presentation
City officials have taken a first step that could lead to branding Royse City.
That first step involved city council members listening to a presentation by Larry Lott, executive director of the Royse City Economic Development Corporation, during a May 8 city council meeting.

May 17, 2012
Royse City’s fire fighting Explorers win big at Fire Games
A five-member team from Royse City returned home from the 2012 Annual Explorer Fire Games with three first place trophies and third place overall.

May 16, 2012 1 Photo
Town hall meeting could be held this month to discuss overpass
City officials plan to call a town hall meeting this month to give Royse City residents an opportunity to receive information, ask questions and provide feedback regarding the upcoming construction of the Interstate 30-Erby Campbell Boulevard overpass.

May 15, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Over 65 homestead exemption increased for school taxes

Site Map

Contact Us