Two Fort Worth-area school districts want voters to approve a 3-cent increase to property tax rates to restore student cuts, keep class sizes manageable and offer competitive teacher pay.
Northwest and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISDs are making different pitches for Tuesday’s election with the same goal: better serve students and staff without raising most homeowners’ overall tax bills, officials said.
The proposed increases would affect each district’s maintenance-and-operations rate, which funds day-to-day operations such as salaries, classroom supplies and utilities. District officials say the added cents would go directly into classrooms, not new construction.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Restoring cuts in Northwest ISD
Northwest ISD voters narrowly rejected a similar ask last November, forcing $16 million in budget cuts that reduced staffing in fine arts, athletics and elementary programs.
This year’s proposal would generate at least $12 million. Officials said about $8 million would be used to reduce class sizes and restore cut positions with the remaining $4 million targeted for future pay increases.
“We can’t put it all back,” chief financial officer Jonathan Pastusek said. “So we’re trying to get at least halfway there.”
If approved, the district’s total tax rate would be $1.0841 per $100 of property value, slightly below last year’s $1.0879. If rejected, it would drop to $1.0541.
District leaders emphasize that, despite the ballot’s state-required “tax increase” language, most homeowners will see lower bills next year because of state tax compression and an expected $40,000 increase to homestead exemptions. The constitutional amendment increasing that exemption is before Texas voters Tuesday.
“Our costs have gone up dramatically while our revenue per student is staying the same,” Pastusek said.
Texas lawmakers approved more than $8 billion in new money for public schools this year, including a $55-per-student increase in the state’s basic allotment. However, administrators across Texas say that’s not enough to keep pace with inflation and other costs.
Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
HEB ISD’s measure would raise roughly $12 million to shore up a budget shortfall and maintain salaries and programs.
Superintendent Joe Harrington said the district delayed asking voters as long as possible. Now the district faces a shortfall of $15 million to $18 million this fiscal year.
“We held out as long as we could,” Harrington said. “We couldn’t balance the budget without it any longer.”
The proposal would lift HEB ISD’s maintenance-and-operations rate from 67.26 cents to 70.26 cents, while the debt-service rate — which pays for bond projects — would rise 3 cents to 32.63 cents. Together, the total would be $1.0289 per $100 valuation.
If voters reject the measure, the total rate would be 99.89 cents.
District leaders say most homeowners would still owe slightly less than last year because of the state’s continued rate compression and expected exemption increase. Harrington added that the district’s request is about stability, not expansion.
“This is what we need to maintain what we have,” he said.
Voter confusion, slower growth and high turnout make approval tougher
Administrators from both districts say approval could hinge on voter understanding of the ballot language and complex state funding system. Meanwhile, the tax-rate elections are occurring in a broader environment where passage of such asks are more difficult.
The state does not track how often these elections pass or fail statewide.
A new state law will require the Texas Bond Review Board, comptroller and the Texas Education Agency to collect that data in the future, though no start date has been set, spokesperson Melissa Holmes said.
Confusion over homestead exemptions, slower property value growth and high-turnout election cycles — when ballot measures tend to fare worse — could complicate the vote, officials said.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Related
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republish This Story
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.