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Heads up, taxpayers and parents: We’ve audited the upcoming PEWITT CISD agenda. There are 3 items targeting parental consent and taxpayer funds that need your immediate attention before the gavel falls.
| ⚠️ Warning (LEVEL 8) |
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School Board to Vote on Property Tax Rate
The board is voting to approve the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) and Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rates for the upcoming year. This vote directly determines the school district portion of every property tax bill. The agenda does not state whether this proposed rate is higher than the ‘no-new-revenue’ rate, which is the rate that would bring in the same amount of money as last year from existing properties. This is the key comparison needed to know if this is a tax increase.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Before the board votes on Item 3.C, they must publicly state the ‘no-new-revenue’ tax rate and the ‘voter-approval’ tax rate. Contact the district and ask: ‘Is the proposed tax rate a tax increase? Publish the comparison rates online before the August 28th meeting.’
💰 Impact: Potential tax increase if the rate is above the no-new-revenue rate.
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| ⚠️ Warning (LEVEL 7) |
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Secret Consultant Deal on the Agenda
The school board plans to discuss a consulting agreement with a firm named ‘BRG’ in a closed-door executive session and then immediately vote to approve it in public (Item 5.A). The agenda provides no information about what this consultant will do, how much they will be paid, or why their contract needs to be discussed in secret. This practice hides spending details from the public until after the deal is done.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the district before the August 28th meeting. Ask: ‘Regarding Item 5.A, who is BRG, what is the purpose and total cost of their consulting contract, and why is it being discussed in secret? The public deserves to see the contract before you vote.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed cost of the ‘BRG’ contract.
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 6) |
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Board to Vote on Secret Legal Recommendations
Following a closed-door session with their lawyer, the board will vote on ‘recommendations of counsel’ (Item 5.B). This agenda item is completely opaque, giving the public no clue as to what policy, settlement, or action is being approved. This could involve anything from a lawsuit settlement paid by taxpayers to a controversial new district policy.
Response
DEMAND A PUBLIC DESCRIPTION: Contact the district and demand that before any vote on Item 5.B, the Board President must provide a public description of the action being taken that does not violate attorney-client privilege. Taxpayers should not be in the dark about what the board is voting on.
💰 Impact: Potential financial or policy liability hidden from public view until after the vote.
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