Proposition A explained

Proposition A explained

Dr. Barrett Pollard

Despite having up to $5.5 billion earmarked for public education, the 88^th legislative session in Texas allocated next to no additional dollars to public schools. In addition, the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) money (which totaled $3,815,791 for GISD) that was allocated from 2021 to 2024 has also ended.

Now, GISD is set to see the largest school tax rate compression ever totaling 19 cents. The school is asking voters on Tuesday, Nov. 7 to give three of those cents (golden pennies) back to the district for a net decrease of 16 cents for taxpayers. Taxpayers will see other benefits with the homestead exemption up for vote to be increased from $40,000 to $100,000. 

The tax rate (even with the district getting the three pennies) will effectively be decreased by 10.85% and will decrease taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $118.35.

For every one dollar that goes to GISD from local taxpayers, the state will give three dollars. In all, the three pennies equate to $1,344,097 in additional funding each year from now on. If it passes, the district will use this money for many different items in year one.  Examples include:  

• A one-time December bonus for all full-time employees
• New intercom systems at three of the campuses (safety concern)
• Add new, or replace, broken air conditioning on school buses 
• Repair, or replace, HVAC systems at the campuses
• Add new, or replace, Chromebooks for general education and special education students 
• Band instruments 
• Maintenance vehicles
• The special education department 
• Professional development 
• Get portable restrooms by the baseball field functioning 

In year two, the money would go toward pay raises (especially for those positions below the TASB average), not losing positions through attrition, and gaining back some positions the district lost through attrition.  

If you are for this proposition, you would vote for it. The wording below is exactly how it should read on the ballot on Nov. 7.

PROPOSITION A

Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $0.8992 per $100 valuation in the Gatesville Independent School District for the current year, a rate that is lower than last year, but will allow the district to receive state aid and local tax revenue it otherwise would not have received and a rate that will result in an increase of 0% in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the District for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $0.