BEIJING- Olympic fever has spread all over Beijing and it’s highly contagious. In fact, the fever seems to have been caught by all 17 million residents and then some. No person young or old, Chinese or otherwise is safe from the Summer Games madness. Furthermore, it’s impossible to go anywhere without witnessing people standing entranced, mouths agape in front of a television mesmerized by the games. A 16-day spell has fallen over the city of Beijing.
The Olympics are literally broadcast everywhere, which is lucky for me because I was really worried I would miss this morning’s fencing match in the thirty minutes that I was on the subway. It is impossible to even attempt to escape the light from the Olympic torch that seems to shine all over the city. All forms of public transportation are fully equipped with televisions. Hotel rooms have a channel for every Olympic venue. There is even a channel for the torch itself. A few nights ago I went to eat dinner at a restaurant down the street from my university and I could hardly get a server to pay attention to me because the Spain-China basketball game was clearly loads more interesting than my craving for sweet and sour pork.
But I must admit, I’ve caught this Olympic bug. It probably helps that I worked at one of the first high profile events of the games. The finish line of the cycling road race has basically been my home for the past several days. More specifically, I have spent my time interviewing cyclists after their races in the mixed zone. The mixed zone is where journalists go to conduct most of their interviews. Athletes must pass through the mixed zone after the completion of their competition. Thus, this has been much more substantial than my previous forays into the Olympics, which mainly consisted of sitting on my couch eating chips.
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see the current issueo f The Park Cities News.
HP, UP layout proposed 2009 budget and tax rates
By Pete Waters
Staffs at the Town of Highland Park and the City of University Park are hard at work on the proposed budget and proposed tax rate for 2009.
Highland Park is proposing no change in the property tax rate from 2007. The rate is $0.22/$100 valuation, but the total amount would increase $716,390 due to higher homestead appraised value.
In 2007, the average residence appraisal value was $1,527,603. The average property tax was $2,688.58; this amount includes the homestead exemption deduction.
The average home in 2008 was appraised at $1,627,833. The taxes that would be imposed at the proposed tax rate of $0.22 per $100 in value would be $2,864.99; this amount includes the homestead exemption deduction.
The differences between the amount of taxes on the average residence homestead in the current tax year, if the proposed tax rate is adopted, and the preceding tax year would be an increase of $176.41 in taxes. With the proposed property rate staying the same, the revenue would increase $716,390.
The Town of proposing a $1 a month increase for alarm monitoring charges from $27 to $28. This would increase revenue to $11,700.
The Town of Highland Park will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and a second public hearing on Monday, August 25, 2008. The council is scheduled to vote on the tax rate on Monday, September 8, 2008.
The City of University Park is proposing a decreased property tax rate for the fourteenth year in a row.
The proposed property tax rate of $0.26.548 is 1.07 percent lower than last year’s rate of $0.26.836 per $100 taxable value.
The 2009 market value of the average home in University Park is $1,064,621, a 15.9 percent increase from last year’s $918,583. The owner of a home whose value increased by the citywide average would pay $134 more in property tax or $11 a month.
Due to rising cost, the City is proposing a 10 percent increase for water and sewer service.
For the complete version of this story
see the current issueo f The Park Cities News.
HP students set record on ACT
By Robert Collins
Highland Park I.S.D. students set a new record on the 2007-08 ACT with an average score of 26.1, nearly a full point higher than last year’s 25.2.
The average Texas state composite score rose to 20.7, also a new record. The national average was 21.1. Highland Park had 351 students take the test, which is used to gain admission to college and universities.
“Our students’ stellar performance on this important college entrance exam is powerful external validation of the depth of learning that happens every day in the classroom,” said Highland Park I.S.D. Superintendent Dr. Cathy Bryce. “I congratulate our students, who never cease to amaze me, along with their parents and our teaching staff.”
The previous record at Highland Park was 25.4 set in 2006.
This year, Highland Park students scored an average of 26.0 in English. The state average was 19.8. In mathematics, HP students scored 27.5. The state average was 21.2. In reading, HP students scored 26.1. The state average was 20.9. In science, HP students scored 24.2. The state average was 20.4.
For the complete version of this story
see the current issueo f The Park Cities News.
