TCC board passes controversial tax increase
by Bernie Scheffler

   In a public meeting last week, the TCC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a controversial tax increase for 2002.

    The new rate, 13.938 cents per $100 valuation, reflects an increase of just over 30 percent.

    Chancellor Leonardo de la Garza said the DistrictÕs pay-as-you-go policy makes the increase look larger. The district pays for improvements as they are completed, rather than financing them through public bonds.

    "In the last five years, we have had $94 million in capital outlay. If five years ago we had borrowed the same amount in bonds, we would have paid $83 million in interest. With pay-as-you-go, we have saved the taxpayers almost as much as we've invested," de la Garza said.

    Still, some taxpayers say they would prefer to see district improvements financed through bonds so they have a chance to vote on the projects.

    Fort Worth resident Bill McCulley was one of several Tarrant County residents who spoke in opposition of the increase at the board meeting.

    "This smells like taxation without representation to me," he said.

    "Let the voters decide. The people don't want to be taxed without representation. I thought we established that with the tea party," he said.

    Though the board passed the tax increase unanimously, Arlington resident Ward Henson says he is not concerned because voters still have a chance to do something to change it.

    "I'm surprised by what's going on here," he said, "but there's still something we can do. I'm circulating a petition for a rollback election; we just need 830,000 signatures, and we'll put it to a vote."

    De la Garza cited continued enrollment growth and continued population growth in Tarrant County as reasons for increasing the college's budget.

    He also cited the Texas Higher Education Board's Closing the Gaps program, which requires state-supported colleges to admit an additional half million students state-wide. Of those, an estimated 80 percent will enter community colleges.

    Trustees also voted to increase salaries by 3 percent, increase entry salary schedules and increase the employee insurance stipend from $75 per year to $100 per year.

    Finally, the board approved the proposal of Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition, Inc., for the demolition of the pool building on South Campus.

    The price submitted by Nabors is $122,500, and completion will take an estimated 37 calendar days.