Board approves data for possible election

By Randy Grider
randy@casscountynow.com

The Texarkana Board of Trustees Monday took the next step in calling an election for the annexation of most of Cass County into its taxing district.
The board approved the acceptance of certified data related to the number of graduates within Cass County who have enrolled at TC over the past five years. 
In order to call for an election, the board must show that at least 15 percents of students within the district have enrolled for classes at TC during that period.
TC broke down each school district by number of graduates at Atlanta, Bloomburg, Linden-Kildare, McLeod and Queen City compared to the number who enrolled each year at TC from 2011 through 2015. Each school district individually was above 50 percent, and overall the five school districts averaged 60 percent of students enrolling at TC.
If the college decides to call for an election, it would come at the Aug. 22 board meeting, and Cass County voters within the proposed district would have to approve it at the Nov. 8 General Election.
The board also approved two public hearing dates for Bowie County to consider a tax rate increase from 0.105267 to .110716 per $100 of appraised value of property. 
This is the first increase in the taxing district since 2011, TC President James Henry Russell said. It amounts to about 43 cents per month for the average Bowie County property owner. This would be the same rate Cass County would be assessed if it passed the annexation.
The hearings are set for Aug. 8 and Aug. 15.