In August, I wrote that “local governments everywhere seem to be scheming over how to get a big cut of your [property tax] relief,” and that bond elections and voter-approval tax rate elections (VATREs) were 2 main ways this erosion could happen. Well, with the November election cycle officials concluded, it’s possible to take stock of what happened and how it might effect taxpayers.
Regarding bond elections, I noted in a different article that: “18 of the 20 [most expensive] propositions were passed, meaning that local governments may now put an extra $17 billion on the taxpayer credit card.” Seeing as voters approved at least $17 billion of the total $26.2 billion proposed, it’s safe to say that most bond debt was authorized and those communities will pay higher taxes on account of it.
Regarding VATREs, which allow ISDs to breach their property tax revenue limit, I tracked 18 such elections around the State. Of those, 17 school districts held successful tax increase elections with only voters in one district, Canyon ISD, rejecting the VATRE. Here is the complete list.
- Brownsville ISD – PASSED
- Canyon ISD – FAILED
- Cedar Hill ISD – PASSED
- Clear Creek ISD – PASSED
- Granbury ISD – PASSED
- Groesbeck ISD – PASSED (preliminary)
- Fort Bend ISD – PASSED
- Forney ISD – PASSED
- Friendswood ISD – PASSED
- Lewisville ISD – PASSED
- Lindale ISD – PASSED
- Lockhart ISD – PASSED
- Midway ISD – PASSED
- Nazareth ISD – PASSED
- New Braunfels ISD – PASSED
- Pearland ISD – PASSED
- Pflugerville ISD – PASSED
- Round Rock ISD – PASSED
Between this election cycle’s bond elections (which were predominantly pushed by ISDs) and school district VATREs, many taxpayers are going to see less tax relief than they might have otherwise enjoyed. And that’s a shame given the extreme cost-of-living increases many Texans are enduring.
Moving forward, there are lessons here to be learned and acted upon in future legislative sessions.