Sundown ISD held multiple meetings last week with parents of the community regarding the possibility of an upcoming voter issue that will impact their school and its funding.
A VATRE or Voter Approved Tax Rate Election is something that can impact the schools funding ranging from from staffing, facilities’, maintenance, travel, programs and more.
Sundown ISD Superintendent Brent Evans the meetings in the Sundown ISD Cafeteria, where he walked community members through the ins and outs of the issue, and what to expect.
Giving a brief walk-through regarding the history of Sundown ISD, Evans started at the beginning. Established in 1928, the school quickly benefitted from a booming oilfield economy, securing them higher funding. In 1992, however the “Robin Hood Plan” was enacted which would take funding away from propertyrich districts to disperse to nonproperty- rich districts throughout the state in an effort to equalize school funding.
There was also a “Hold Harmless” period, which secured the school higher levels of funding.
In 2019, House Bill 3 would come along to further equalize school funding, and would declare the “Hold Harmless” phase over. This began the process of weaning off the district of their additional funding they had been receiving for more than two decades. What was roughly $2.8 Million at the beginning, now dwindled to just over $565,000 this year, with the district starting to seek other options.
Once COVID-19 hit in 2020, Evans stated that it was difficult to keep staff in schools prior to the pandemic. Creating issues with staffing, Evans added that it was not only Texas facing a exodus of teachers and staff, but throughout the entire nation as well.
With funding becoming tighter and staffing presenting issues, the district took measures to adapt to the changing circumstances which included travel less, restructured health insurance plans, and even absorbed positions.
While those measures had been taken, Evans goal is to ensure the students within the district will not be impacted by the changes.
Sundown ISD has managed to reduce the deficit they face by roughly $900,000. Additionally, foundation was formed in 2022, to accrue yearly interest and assist with funding. Grants are also being pursued and the district has reported that their enrollment has been increasing as well.
The purpose of the discussion with the community point toward the district gauging public interest in the VATRE, which would ask for an increase of about 12 cents to the tax rate.
These “enrichment pennies” as they were referred to will grow in value with property values, and will still see citizens receive a reduction in their property taxes, should the upcoming amendment election see the passing of homestead taxation relief.
Evans stressed the importance of being informed about this issue, as passing this VATRE could raise as much as $700,000 for the district, allowing them to continue their goal of education.
Evans also added that the district is currently fully-staffed heading into this school year and expects the district’s educators to do a great job in their classrooms.
With the additional funding, Evans explained that those funds will allow the district to continue to take care of their educators and staff along with providing the students with the best resources available.
With the cost of everything continuing to rise, additional funds the district can gain helps combat those inflation issues and without the funding, things would slowly be cut or necessary projects would be extended or completed further than projected.