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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Tuesday, September 4, 2001
Rollback election early voting starts for P-B-T schools
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 4, 2001 -- Early voting will begin tomorrow for
the tax rollback elections for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, an election
the district is required to have following the adoption of the tax rate
that will bring in about $2 million in additional revenues to the school
district this year.
The rollback election is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, but voters
who would like to take advantage of voting early can do so from 10 a.m.
until 7 p.m., at the Community Center, located next door to the Pecos Police
Department, beginning on Wednesday an continuing through Sept. 18.
Increases in oil and gas valuations between 2000 and 2001 is the reason
for the increase in tax revenues, but P-B-T Superintendent Don Love said
under Texas' school funding law, the district will lose that $2 million
in state revenues beginning with the 2002-2003 school year. As a result,
Love asked the P-B-T school board to maintain the current $1.50 per $100
in valuation tax rate, even though to do so automatically forced this month's
rollback election.
"If a taxing unit other than a school district adopted a tax rate that
exceeds the rollback rate, voters in the unit may petition for an election
on the tax increase," said Love, during a recent school board meeting.
"School districts are required to hold automatic rollback elections _ without
the petition process _ to ratify their current year's rate, if the school
boards adopt tax rates above their rollback rates."
Should voters approve the rollback rate, school district taxes would
be cut by 32 cents per $100 valuation, and could only be raised back up
at a rate of six cents per year.
"On Aug. 7, at the meeting to adopt the 2001-2002 budget, the Board
of Trustees adopted a tax rate of $1.50 that is the same tax rate that
was adopted for the 2000-2001 budget," said Love. "Because of a loss of
145 students in average daily attendance (ADA) and the 2001 certified appraised
value overall increase of $139,941,460, the tax rate to maintain the same
level of maintenance and operations revenue is $1.18081."
That is the highest tax rate the board may adopt without requiring voter
approval.
P-B-T ISD actually lost $1,541,200 in real estate values this past year,
but gained $141,482,660 in mineral values for a total net taxable gain
of $139,041,460. The only taxpayers that will be paying more next year
are the oil and gas mineral taxpayers, Love explained.
The ballot language states voting for or against ratifying the adopted
tax rate, rather than limiting the rate to the rollback rate. If a simple
majority of the votes cast in the election favor the adopted tax rate,
then the adopted tax rate stands. If the voters disapprove the adopted
rate, the school district's rollback rate would be the adopted tax rate.
Following the election results, the school district will mail its current
year's tax bills.
The board will set a date to canvass the election returns at the regular
September board meeting next week. The votes will be canvassed and certified
sometime during the week of Sept. 25, and the district will mail statements
between Oct. 1 and Oct.15. The total estimated cost to conduct the rollback
election is between $7,000 and $8,000.
The average homeowner will not be paying more for 2001 taxes, according
to Love.
P-B-T is one of 17 school districts in Texas holding rollback elections
because of sharp increases in their tax collections from a year ago. Rankin
ISD will be the first to hold its tax rollback election, on Wednesday.
Hunter in stable condition after accidential shooting
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 4, 2001 -- A Pecos man is listed in stable conditions
today after being accidentally shot in a hunting accident on Sunday in
Pecos County.
Don Alligood, 34, was taken by private vehicle to Reeves County Hospital,
then transferred to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa following the 9 a.m.
shooting on Sunday. According to Reeves County Game Warden Jim Allen, Alligood
was with a group of dove hunters on a farm field about 20 miles northeast
of Fort Stockton, near the Pecos-Reeves County line, when the accident
occurred.
"He was struck in the upper left torso and in the upper left arm by
shotgun pellets. The shooter whose gun accidentally discharged was a juvenile,"
Allen said.
Saturday was the first day of dove hunting season in Texas, and hunters
were out across the Trans-Pecos area and throughout the state on Labor
Day weekend. The group Alligood was with had spent Saturday morning hunting
and went to Balmorhea for the annual Labor Day Festival there, before returning
to their campsite.
Alligood is listed in stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit at
Odessa Medical Center. Some poly-capster from the shotgun shell was taken
out this morning, but no surgery was required.
Allen said the shooting "was completely accidental. After investigating,
there will be no criminal violations filed."
Pecos man killed in Sunday morning rollover
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 4, 2001 -- A one-vehicle rollover south of Pecos
took the life of a Pecos resident and injured an El Paso woman over the
Labor Day weekend.
Ruben Salas, Jr., 22, of Pecos was killed in the rollover that occurred
at approximately 1 a.m., on Sunday 9.4 miles South on Highway 17.
According to a Department of Public Safety representative, Salas was
riding in a 2000 Chevrolet pickup driven by Monica Marie Rivera, 23, of
El Paso when the accident occurred.
"The vehicle was Northbound on Highway 17 and was traveling at a high
rate of speed," the representative said.
Witnesses told DPS that Rivera passed another vehicle and lost control
of the vehicle.
"Witnesses said the vehicle passed to the right of another vehicle,
illegally," DPS said.
After passing the other vehicle, Rivera overcorrected and lost control
of the pickup and entered into a broadside skid, crossing both lanes of
traffic, according to the DPS.
"Then the vehicle skidded to the west side barrow ditch and overturned
to the right, once, ejecting both occupants," the spokesperson said.
Justice of the Peace Armanario Ramon pronounced Salas dead at 2:21 a.m.,
at the scene. Salas' body was transported to Pecos Funeral Home.
Rivera was transported by Aero Care to Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock
where she is in stable condition with internal injuries.
DPS Trooper Terry Gilchrest continues to investigate the accident.
The DPS and Pecos Emergency Medical Services personnel were called out
to another accident before sunrise this morning on U.S. 285, about 12 miles
south of Pecos. Two persons were reportedly taken to Reeves County Hospital
as a result of the accident, but no word was available on their names and
conditions at press time.
PHS cheerleaders, sponsors announce Spirit Stick winners
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 4, 2001 -- Pecos Eagle cheerleaders and sponors on
Friday announced the names of the businesses which won Spirit Sticks as
part of their "Paint Pecos Purple" effort, prior to Pecos' season-opening
football game on Friday night.
The announcement was made during the Pecos High School pep rally, and
six Spirit Sticks were given out.
Winner of the Artistic Award was Reeves County Hospital; Winner of the
Spirited Award was Security State Bank; Winner of the Most Original Award
was Frank X. Spencer and Associates; Winner of the All About Pecos Award
was West Texas National Bank and the Most Creative Award went to Sonic.
Pecos Kindergarten won the Spirit Stick award for Best School Decorations.
Weather
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 4, 2001 -- High Monday 103. Low this morning 66. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.
Low in the mid 60s. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy
with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. High 85 to 90. Northeast
wind 5 to 15 mph. Wednesday night: Partly cloudy. Low in the mid 60s. Thursday
and Friday: Partly cloudy. Lows 65 to 70. Highs in the upper 90s.
Obituaries
Robert Enloe and Ruben Salas, Jr.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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