SISD trio's school taxes delinquent

As Sabine ISD taxpayers head to the polls Saturday to decide a $20 million bond issue, three of its seven school board members owe property taxes to the district.

According to summaries from the Gregg County Tax Assessor-Collector's office, tax suits have been filed against James Earl Gray and Billy E. Harvey for taxes owed for their homesteads. Trustee Todd Gibbs also owes taxes but a suit has not been filed against him at this time.

Between the three board members more than $10,600 is owed to the school district alone. Their collective total for all applicable Gregg County taxing entities is $15,969.64

According to Michelle Terry, chief deputy at the tax assessor-collector's office, taxes are considered late, or delinquent, on Feb. 1 each year.

Gray, SISD board president, owes $6,855.11, with $3,812.41 of that amount owed in 2007 to all taxing entities for his homestead on Mt. Pisgah Road. The total includes taxes payable to Gregg County, Kilgore College, county road and bridge and SISD.

Harvey owes a total of $1,426.73 for 2008 on his homestead located on the Old Hwy. 135 for 2008. That amount includes $12.36 owed on his 2006 tax statement.

Gibbs' tax balance is $7,687.80 in 2008 for his homestead on Park Drive. He does not owe any taxes from previous years. Gibbs also owes taxes for a property on West Cotton Street in Longview that totals $13,963.14.

A phone call to Gibbs residence was not returned at press time. Gray and Harvey are not listed in the telephone directory.

Terry said a 7 percent penalty — 6 percent penalty and 1 percent interest — is assessed on delinquent tax accounts in February and then another 2 percent — 1 percent each for penalty and interest — is added each month through June.

In July, overdue tax accounts are turned over to a tax attorney and the penalty and interest automatically jumps to 12 percent, Terry said.

The attorneys assess a 15 to 20 percent charge, depending on the taxing entity. Terry said Sabine's attorneys, Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson, LLP, in Longview, assess a 20 percent fee.

School board members voted unanimously to call for the May 9 bond election. If passed, taxpayers in the district will see a 30 percent increase in their tax bills.

The cost to taxpayers for a 30-year bond would be about 40 cents above the current $1.04 per $100 ad valorem rate.

If approved, the district plans to build a new elementary school, athletic field house and softball field and make renovations at the high school to create extra science classrooms and labs.

The money will also pay to tear down a portion of the existing elementary school and turn that campus into two separate facilities, one for pre-K and kindergarten students and the other for fifth and sixth graders, which would free up space at the middle school, which does not need any remodeling.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $21.4 million.

The district hasn't had any bonded indebtedness in 18 years, the superintendent said. The tax base is valued at $332 million this year.

SISD has about 1,200 students, with half attending classes at the elementary school, 200 at the middle school and 400 at the high school.