The Austin Community College District Board of Trustees voted to slightly lower the college’s property tax rate for this fiscal year during the board meeting Tuesday night.

The FY2012 tax rate will be $0.0948 (9.48 cents) per $100 valuation – a 0.3 percent decrease from the FY2011 rate of $0.0951. The college’s tax base expanded with the recent annexations of the Elgin and Hays school districts; thus, the college was able to lower the tax rate despite a slight decline in taxable home values in its district. The decline in the tax rate, along with the decline in home values, means the average 2011-12 residential ACC tax bill will go down.

“We are grateful for the community’s investment in ACC, and the college is committed to delivering an exceptional return on that investment,” says Dr. Barbara Mink, chair of the ACC Board of Trustees. “ACC is pleased its taxpayers can pay a little less while still having access to the programs and services important to Central Texas.”

ACC grants a standard $5,000 homestead exemption plus a $115,000 exemption – the most generous in the region – for senior citizens and homeowners with disabilities. The college’s tax rate is considerably lower than the state average community college tax rate of $0.16 (16 cents).

The maintenance and operations portion of the tax rate is $0.09, a cap that cannot increase without voter approval. The FY2012 tax also includes $0.0048 for debt service. The debt service rate fluctuates on an annual basis depending on the amount of revenue needed to cover the debt service payment. ACC’s recent tax rate history is as follows:

FY2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $0.0948

FY2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $0.0951

FY2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $0.0946

FY2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $0.0954

FY2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $0.0958

The adopted 2011-12 budget includes $98,632,593 of property tax operating revenue (which funds instructional programs, student support services, and facility maintenance, among other things) and $5,428,396 of property tax debt service.

The ACC taxing district comprises the city of Austin as well as the Austin, Leander, Manor, Del Valle, Round Rock, Elgin, and Hays school districts. Elgin ISD and Hays CISD residents joined the ACC taxing district in November 2010, making them eligible for the lower, in-district tuition rate. In addition, ACC is building a full-service campus in each community.

ACC serves an eight-county region, including Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Hays, Blanco, Gillespie, Caldwell, and a portion of Gonzales.