[00:00:04]
[A. Meeting Open]
AM I CORRECT IN CALLING FOR THE ROLL CALL NOW? THANK YOU.DISTRICT THREE, PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS, DISTRICT NINE, VICE PRESIDENT MARTIN.
[B.1. Discussion]
THIS, UH, MEETING THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON THE PROPOSAL TO ROLL FORWARD THE TAX MILLAGE FOR TAX YEAR, UM, FOR THE NEXT TAX YEAR.DISCUSSION TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING, A ADJUSTED MILLAGE RATES FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024 AND B SET FORTH THE ADJUSTED MILLAGE RATES AFTER REA ASSESSMENT AND THE ROLLING FORWARD TO RATES NOT TO EXCEED THE PRIOR YEAR'S MAXIMUM MILLAGE FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024.
SO, UH, MS. LOPEZ? YES, GOOD EVENING.
BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT COLE.
TONIGHT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING SETTING THE MILLAGE RATE FOR THE DISTRICT WITH THE PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.
OUR CURRENT MILLAGE RATE IS 43.45 MILLS, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS OF THIS PARISH.
EACH YEAR, YOU APPROVE TO PLACES BACK ON THE ROLLS SO THAT WE MAY COLLECT OUR PROPERTY TAXES EVERY FOUR YEARS.
THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE PROVIDES A REASSESSMENT OF ALL THE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE PARISH.
2024 WAS THAT YEAR AFTER THE REASSESSMENT, THE MILLAGE MILLAGE RATE IS ROLLED BACK TO THE CORRECT MILLS.
BASED UPON THE NEW ASSESSED VALUE FOR 2024, THE NEW MILLAGE RATE WOULD BE 41.03 MILS.
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE FULL VOTER APPROVED 43.45, THE VOTE MUST, THE BOARD MUST VOTE TO ROLL THE MILLAGE FORWARD OR TO MAINTAIN THE REDUCED RATE.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, THE BOARD APPROVED TO MAINTAIN THE ADJUSTED MILLAGE RATE OF 41.25 MILS DURING COVID PANDEMIC AND MAINTAIN THIS RATE THROUGH 2021.
IN 2022, THE BOARD VOTED TO ROLL FORWARD THE MILLAGE AND RETURN THE DISTRICT TO THE VOTER APPROVED 43.45 MILS.
AT THIS TIME, THE REQUEST AGAIN IS TO ROLL FORWARD THE MILLAGE BASED UPON THE NEW ASSESSMENT TO THE VOTER APPROVED MILLAGE OF 43.45 MILLS.
JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, I'VE ALWAYS INCLUDE SURROUNDING PARISHES SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE EBR FALLS WITH THE REST OF, UH, THE DISTRICT LOCAL AREA.
SO, ZACHARY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS 67.2 MILLS, AND THIS IS THE 2023 ASSESSMENT.
CENTRAL CITY SCHOOLS IS 60.08, AND BAKER CITY SCHOOLS IS 43.2.
AND AS STATED EARLIER, EVR IS 43.45.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN THE TAXES WERE ROLLED FORWARD IN 2022, THERE WAS A $21.2 MILLION INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.
OVER 9 MILLION OF THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF THE ROLL FORWARD AMOUNT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
MOVING THE MILLAGE FORWARD WILL INCREASE TAX SELECTIONS FOR THE ROLL FORWARD PORTION ONLY BY 12.9 MILLION OR A 6% INCREASE.
THIS MAKES UP 40% OF THE REVENUES OF THE DISTRICT AND PROVIDES 1.7 MILLION TO OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THIS IS A RENEWABLE AND CONTINUED SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT THAT ASSISTS WITH ONGOING INITIATIVES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TWO SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS.
EACH APPROVAL OF EACH OF THE RESOLUTIONS MUST BE SEPARATE.
RESOLUTION ONE ALLOWS US TO BE ON THE TAX ROLL OF THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND IS REQUIRED EACH YEAR TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT PROPERTY TAXES.
RESOLUTION TWO REQUIRES TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE BOARD AND WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN THE 43.45 MILS FOR THE CURRENT RATE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE APPROVED 20 24 20 25 BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
EACH RESOLUTION MUST BE READ INTO THE BOARD MINUTES IN FULL, AND A VOTE MUST BE TAKEN FOR EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, I KNOW IT DOESN'T SAY IT ON HERE, BUT, UH, WHEN WAS THE MILLAGE ORIGINALLY, UH, INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY THE VOTERS? DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW THE, OH, DID THEY HAVE, IF YOU READ THE RESOLUTIONS IN THE PACKET, THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT YEARS.
SO THE CONSTITUTIONAL TAX IS 5.25 MILS.
THE REST OF 'EM ARE AT DIFFERENT TIMES, UH, WHENEVER THE BOARD BROUGHT THEM TO THE PUBLIC.
SO SOME OF 'EM WERE BACK IN 20, IN MANY YEARS AGO, AND THEY, WE RENEW THEM.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE THAT ARE BEING RENEWED THIS YEAR.
AND, AND THESE, UM, MILLAGE RATES, THEY COVER, UH, RECURRING, UH,
[00:05:01]
EXPENSES? YES, SIR.IT'S NOT FOR ONE PROJECT, IT'S FOR NO, SIR.
IT'S FOR THE, UH, FOR RECURRING EXPENSES, UH, TO COVER, UH, UH, EXPENSES WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS, MR. LEWIS? MR. LOPEZ, AM I CORRECT AND THAT WILL ADD $12.9 MILLION? IT IS $12.9 MILLION THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE MONIES FROM, IF YOU ROLL FORWARD, IF WE ROLL FORWARD.
UH, PICKING UP, UM, UH, ON THAT POINT, JUST TO CLARIFY, IF WE DIDN'T ROLL FORWARD THE MILLAGE MM-HMM, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT $12.9 MILLION OUTTA THE BUDGET THAT WE APPROVED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
UH, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS AGAIN, UH, UNDER NEW BUSINESS IN THE ACTUAL BOARD MEETING MOMENTARILY.
SO NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
OH, MR. GODDE? YEAH, JUST A QUICK THING 'CAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO PARTS.
ONE PART IS THE, THE VOTER APPROVED MILLAGE THAT WE HAVE, IF WE ROLL IT FORWARD, WE'RE KEEPING THE SAME MILLAGE.
IF WE DIDN'T ROLL IT FORWARD, THE TAXPAYERS WOULD SEE A TAX CUT.
NOW, THE OFFSET OF SOME OF THAT IS THAT THE PROPERTY VALUE ASSESSMENTS BY THE ASSESSOR HAS GONE UP ON MANY PROPERTIES THROUGH INFLATION AND OTHER THINGS.
SO THERE, THERE ARE TWO PIECES TO THIS.
AND SO BY ROLLING FORWARD, WE'RE ONLY KEEPING THE ORIGINAL TAX RATE IN PLACE.
SO THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX, IT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT'S BRINGING IN NEW REVENUES.
THE NEW REVENUES, ANY INCREASE FROM THIS IS BECAUSE OF INCREASED VALUATION OF PROPERTIES AND WE PAY THE SAME KIND OF INCREASES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OUR THINGS.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO TEACHER SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AND ALL THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO I DON'T WANT THIS TO GET LOST AS IF IT'S A TAX INCREASE.
THE ONLY INCREASES PEOPLE WILL SEE IS IF THEIR VALUATION GOES UP.
IF THEIR VALUATION HASN'T GONE UP, THEY'LL SEE NO CHANGE.
SO I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT DISTINCTION.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ITEM? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS MATTER AND NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, MADAM SECRETARY? DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS PREVIOUSLY? ALRIGHT, COME ON UP MS. NIMAN.
ALRIGHT, MS. NINA, GOOD EVENING.
UM, TANYA NYMAN, DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROCESS.
DOES THIS MEAN I'LL HAVE TWO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE ROLE FORWARD? BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS THREE MINUTES AND THEN WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS DURING THE REGULAR MEETING.
CAN ANYBODY JUST SURREPTITIOUSLY NOD TO ME EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO? YES.
UM, SO, UM, I'LL GET TO SAY IT THREE TIMES.
I HOPE Y'ALL WILL WHOLEHEARTEDLY ROLL FORWARD.
I HOPE PEOPLE DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT A NEW TAX, AS MR. GDAY MADE VERY CLEAR, AND I HOPE IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT NOT EVERYONE SEES AN INCREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAX VALUES EITHER THAT IS WHOLLY, THAT IS NOT WITHIN THE CONTROL OF THIS BODY, THAT IS WHOLLY WITHIN THE CONTROL OF THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING FOR PEOPLE TO BE AWARE ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS.
UM, AND I KNOW I HAVE A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE OF A STUDY, BUT BETWEEN MY HUSBAND AND I, WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
THEY ARE ALL LARGELY WITHIN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD IN MR. GOD'S DISTRICT.
AND, UM, OUR VALUATION HAS, UM, ON EACH OF THOSE PROPERTIES DIFFERS DRAMATICALLY.
SO OUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT JUST INCREASED, UH, WITH IN 2020 WHEN IT INCREASED IN VALUE BY THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, IT WAS A MERE 4.3% INCREASE, WHICH SEEMS PRETTY REASONABLE.
THIS GO ROUND, IT IS 12% INCREASE, WHICH ON THE, THAT PROPERTY IS, IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PART.
UM, AMOUNT, NOTHING THAT CAN'T BE ABSORBED BY US AND CERTAINLY IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT IN TERMS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S ONLY A $24 INCREASE, UM, PER MONTH TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHICH WE CAN ABSORB AND HAPPILY ABSORB.
BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT ONE OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES, WHICH IS HALF THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY, SAW A 20% INCREASE IN ITS PROPERTY VALUE.
AND SO, UM, THAT MEANS THAT IT'S VALUE IS NOW REALLY THE INCREASE IS COMPARABLE TO THE PRIMARY RESIDENTS.
AND SO IF THAT HOME IS TYPICAL OF THOSE IN THE MIDDLE INCOME BRACKETS, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
[00:10:01]
AND SO I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE A LOT OF THE NARRATIVE AROUND THIS ROLL FORWARD MAKES IT SOUND LIKE Y'ALL ARE INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES.BUT THAT IS NOT, IF SOMEBODY GOT THEIR TAX ASSESSMENT YESTERDAY AND THEY'RE KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU.
THAT IS WHOLLY WITHIN THE CONTROL OF THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
AND IF IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, THEY SHOULD LOOK TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE TO QUESTION THE PERCENTAGE OF THE VALUE INCREASE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR, UM, FRUSTRATION OR RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS ROLL FORWARD ARE NOT MISPLACED.
UM, AND THE FINAL PROPERTY, I'LL MENTION SAW NO INCREASE.
SO IF YOU CHOOSE TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE THAT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN THIS PARISH, UM, THEN YOU WILL ACTUALLY BE GIVING THAT PROPERTY A TAX BREAK.
AND SO IT'S NOT BY THE ROLL FORWARD, UM, YOU'RE ACTUALLY JUST MAINTAINING THAT STANDARD.
UM, IT'S ONLY IF YOU CHOOSE TO REDUCE IT THAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE, UM, CHOOSING TO REDUCE THE TAX BILLS OF SOME PROPERTIES.
AND BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT IT, UM, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THIS PROCESS, THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, COUPLED WITH THE ROLL FORWARD PROCESS, UM, SHIFTS THE TAX BURDEN FROM IN UPPER INCOME BRACKETS TO MIDDLE INCOME BRACKETS.
THANK YOU MS. SOME REGARDLESS, FINISH YOUR THOUGHT.
ALRIGHT, MS. PENNY, MAY LANDRY.
HELLO, PENNY MAID LANDRY, UH, DISTRICT 11, I AM OPPOSED TO ANY INCREASE IN MILLAGES.
AS YOU KNOW, MILLAGES ARE PAID BY PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT OWN PROPERTY.
SO THOSE OF US WHO DO OWN PROPERTY TAKE ON THE BURDEN, WHICH I FULLY SUPPORT SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. BECAUSE I AM AN EDUCATION ADVOCATE.
HOWEVER, NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE QUITE CHALLENGING AS I SEE IT.
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS OVER $35 TRILLION IN DEBT.
UM, GRANTS ARE GONNA DIMINISH SIGNIFICANTLY, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE WAY THAT WE FUND THINGS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THROUGH GRANTS.
THE MIDDLE AMERICANS IN THE, THE MIDDLE PART OF THIS POPULATION ARE SEEING THE GREATEST BURDEN FROM INCREASE IN TAXES, INCREASE IN MILLAGES, ET CETERA.
I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE LOOK AT TIGHTENING THE BUDGET AND PREPARING FOR THE FACT THAT THINGS ARE GONNA GET TOUGHER FOR EVERYONE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER
OKAY? AND, UM, IF WE COULD JUST BE AWARE OF THAT, THAT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE MILLAGES THAT ARE COLLECTED ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF THINGS IN THE UPCOMING YEARS.
BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AS I SAID, HAS A $35 TRILLION DEBT AND NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL AS TO WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
HOWEVER,
SO PLEASE DO NOT PUT FORTH TO THE VOTERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT PROPERTY OWNERS, ANY INCREASE IN MILLAGES.
AND JUST IF YOUR ONLY OTHER OPTION IS TO ROLL FORWARD AT THE EXISTING RATE, THAT'S WHAT I'D ASK YOU TO DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FEEL THE NEED TO SPEAK? ONE MORE TIME.
THIS IS NOT WHEN WE'RE TAKING A VOTE, WE'LL TAKE THAT NEXT MEETING.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO CORRECT, WELL, MAYBE NOT CORRECT, GIVE A DIFFERENT VIEW ON A, A LITTLE BIT OF STUFF.
ONE IS, UH, PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT PROPERTY TAXES FOR HOMEOWNERS AND AND INDIVIDUALS ARE DONE AT A 10% RATE WHILE INDUSTRY PAYS A 15% RATE.
SO JUST INDUSTRY'S ALREADY PAYING, YOU KNOW, UH, HALF AGAIN, AS MUCH AS PROPERTY OWNERS ARE.
AND IF YOU DON'T OWN PROPERTY, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT PAYING PROPERTY TAXES, YOU'RE PAYING THEM IN YOUR RENT, YOU'RE PAYING HIM IN ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT RENT BECAUSE THE, THE GUY WHO'S RENTING YOU THE APARTMENT OR WHATEVER, HE'S PAYING THE PROPERTY TAXES AND HE DOESN'T HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO OFFSET IT ANYWAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LIVING ON PROPERTY IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, YOU'RE PAYING THE PROPERTY TAX, EITHER IF YOU'RE PAYING IT
[00:15:01]
DIRECTLY TO THE ASSESSOR OR YOU'RE PAYING IT TO THE PERSON YOU'RE RENTING FROM, WHO'S PAYING IT TO THE ASSESSOR, AND YOU'RE ALSO PAYING IT TO THE STORE THAT YOU'RE BUYING THINGS FROM BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THEIR EXPENSES.SO THERE IS NO FREE RIDE IN ANY OF THIS.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T OWN PROPERTY, ACTUALLY A RENTER PAYS MORE PROPERTY TAX THAN A HOMEOWNER BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, THE BUSINESSES DON'T PLAY TAXES.
UM, I'LL, I'LL HAVE MORE COMMENTS WHEN WE GET TO THE ITEM, BUT, UM, I'M, I'M PERSONALLY NOT FAVORABLE TO ROLLING FORWARD MILLAGES.
UM, BUT IN, IN THIS SPECIFIC INSTANCE, I, I WANT TO STATE MY POSITION ON WHY THAT IS.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE IS FEELING THE SQUEEZE OF COVID.
YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST AND DURING COVID, A LOT OF AGENCIES OR INDEPENDENT TAXING AUTHORITIES DECIDED TO FREEZE THE MILLAGES NOT TO ROLL 'EM FORWARD.
UH, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND THINGS, WERE VERY UNCERTAIN.
PEOPLE ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE INFLATION AND THE EFFECTS OF THAT INFLATION.
WHEN WE LOOK AT PROPERTY VALUE ASSESSMENTS, THOSE REFLECTIVE OF INFLATION, UH, THE BURDEN THAT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE, UH, IN OUR CURRENT INSURANCE MARKET IS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, I PERSONALLY AM PAYING DOUBLE, UH, MY PROPERTY, UH, UH, INSURANCE THAN I WAS THREE YEARS AGO.
AND LUCKILY I CAN AFFORD THAT.
I HAVE MANY CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT AND ACROSS THIS PARISH THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES.
UM, ROLLING FORWARD MILLAGES IN THIS ENVIRONMENT BECOMES A REGRESSIVE TAX.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY.
LOOK, THERE'S AN ARGUMENT, I'M GONNA HEAR THIS 20 DIFFERENT TIMES THIS MONTH ON EVERY DIFFERENT TAXING AUTHORITY.
WELL, IT'S ONLY $25 IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S WORTH $250,000, WELL, YEAH, BUT THEN YOU'RE GONNA COUPLE THAT WITH ABOUT 18 OTHER INDEPENDENT TAXING AUTHORITIES.
AND SUDDENLY ALL THESE MILLAGES THAT HAVE BEEN ROLLED FORWARD ARE COSTING YOU HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS MORE IN JANUARY WHEN YOUR TAX BILL COMES DUE, OR DECEMBER RATHER.
UM, AND IF YOU GO TALK TO PEOPLE THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES, THEY ARE PUTTING GROCERIES ON CREDIT CARDS RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE FEELING THE SQUEEZE, AND WE CAN, WE CANNOT IGNORE THAT, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL THAT QUE FEEL THAT SQUEEZE.
AND IT, IT'S, I CANNOT JUSTIFY LOOKING IN THE EYE OF, OF A PERSON WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO EVEN FEED THEIR FAMILY AND TELL THEM THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND THAT WE NEED TO DIP FURTHER INTO THEIR POCKETBOOK WHEN WE'VE GOT TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESERVES THAT WE HAVE NOT SPENT.
WE DON'T NEED THIS MONEY AS BAD AS THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING ROLLING FORWARD MILLAGES, UM, IN, IN ANY CONTEXT AT THIS TIME.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR MY TARDINESS TODAY.
OF COURSE, YOU CAN HEAR THAT THE SKIES ARE OPENING UP AND ALL THE STREETS ARE BLOCKED AS FAR AS TRAFFIC IS CONCERNED.
UM, BUT STILL, UH, MY QUESTION FIRST OF ALL, MS. LOPEZ, IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, I KNOW I MISSED PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCE OF US NOT ROLLING FORWARD THE MILLAGE ABOUT $12.9 MILLION THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.
AND SO COULD YOU GIVE ME JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AS FAR AS OUR BUDGET IS CONCERNED? HOW, WHAT WOULD THAT AFFECT? WELL, BECAUSE YOU ONLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN OVERAGE IN THE BUDGET YOU APPROVED, THEN AFTER THAT YOU WOULD RUN INTO A DEFICIT.
AND AFTER YOU GO INTO DEFICIT AFTER THREE YEARS, THEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH LDOE COMING IN AND LOOKING AT YOUR BOOKS BECAUSE YOU WERE CONSIDERED UNSTABLE.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY.
I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS TO WHEN WE ACTUALLY VOTE ON THIS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BRIEF FIVE MINUTE RECESS, UH, BEFORE WE CONVENE THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD.