The Austin Community College District Board of Trustees officially called for annexation elections in five Central Texas communities Friday, August 20.
Voters will go to the polls November 2 in Bastrop ISD, Elgin ISD, McDade ISD, Hays CISD, and San Marcos CISD; early voting runs October 18-29. Only registered voters in each territory will be eligible to cast ballots in their community’s election, which will determine whether that area will become part of the ACC District.
Steering committees composed of residents from within each school district’s boundaries collected signatures from 5 percent of local, registered voters in order for the annexation election to take place, per Texas Education Code.
The college has published individual Service Plans for each area (services and programs ACC will bring to the community) and held public hearings.
While ACC encourages communities to explore the benefits and costs of joining the district, the college does not advocate for or against any such initiative. The law does allow the college to respond to questions and provide facts about annexation; however, the decision on whether to join the ACC District rests solely with the voters within those territories.
Should voters decide to become part of the ACC District, homeowners would pay a property tax proposed at $0.0951 per $100 valuation for the coming fiscal year. The total tax rate includes a maintenance and operations rate of $0.09, which cannot be increased without voter approval. The remainder of the amount ($0.0051) goes toward debt service on facilities bonds. The college offers a standard $5,000 homestead exemption, and senior citizens and homeowners with disabilities receive an additional $105,000 exemption, for a total exemption of $110,000 – the most generous in the region.
In exchange for paying the property tax, district residents have access to more comprehensive programs and services as well as much lower in-district tuition of $42 per credit hour, compared with $150 per hour for out-of-district students (2010-2011). ACC’s Master Plan, approved by the governing board, calls for campuses to be constructed in Bastrop, Elgin, the Buda/Kyle area, and San Marcos, subject to successful annexation elections. The college has entered into contracts for the purchase of land in each of those communities.
For more information on annexation and to see each community’s Service Plan, please visit austincc.edu/annexation.
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By Nicole August 23, 2010 - 5:42 pm
I wish Pflugerville was on this list. When will this happen? I pay 3x the tuition of what others pay.
By Ruth August 24, 2010 - 10:44 am
This would be great for the Fredericksburg/Harper area!
By Jul August 24, 2010 - 1:04 pm
Sure wish Fredericksburg would get a clue.
By Laney August 25, 2010 - 1:33 am
I would LOVE to see this in Lockhart. Our graduating Seniors are required to go through the entire enrollment/admission process for ACC whether they intend to go to ACC or not. It is mandatory. So why not make it less costly for them to actually attend ACC? I wish I knew how to begin.
By mreyes August 25, 2010 - 7:00 am
The process for annexation starts with community members. Visit the annexation information website to learn how it occurs.
By Tiffany August 25, 2010 - 10:28 am
Why don’t they focus on going more North? Like maybe Georgetown ISD? It’s just one district away from Round Rock with their new campus.
By Jess August 25, 2010 - 8:01 pm
I second Pville ISD! What’s up with those guys!? C’mon! Time to vote yourselves in district.
By ricardo August 26, 2010 - 12:53 pm
Pflugerville needs to jump on board now! What is Pflugerville waiting on? The Pflugerville community will have much to benefit from all the services ACC has to offer. The in vs. out of district fees are unbearable for many who are wanting to or already attending ACC classes. What kind of message are we sending to the Pflugerville communtiy on where the community priority on a college education is,- “go to college but, we are going to make it 3x harder than your peers in-district.”
By Jess August 26, 2010 - 7:52 pm
Well, it’s not necessarily a matter of, “oh, let’s pick on a particular ISD and ‘make it hard’ for them to go to school.” You pay in-district tuition when you pay ACC taxes. If you don’t, you pay out-of-district tuition. Simple as that.
Why should those who do pay taxes to ACC subsidize the education of those who do not?
Move to Austin or start getting involved in your district. Round Rock recently voted a large portion of Round Rock in-district. But it was something that was voted on by the residents on whether they wanted to pay the tax or not. Not some sort of elitist decision made by ACC.