Levelland ISD voters will decide whether to approve a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, that would generate approximately $3 million annually for the district while keeping its overall tax rate at 97 cents per $100 of property evaluation. Early voting will be from Oct. 19-30, with election day being set for Nov. 3.
Superintendent Dr. Don Heseman said a VATRE allows voters to approve changes to the portion of the district’s tax rate used for maintenance and operations, giving LISD additional revenue for its operating budgets.
Of the additional revenue generated by the VATRE, about $1.4 million would come from local property taxes, and another $1.6 million would come from additional state funding.
The additional revenue would help fund employee raises and rising operating costs while giving the district more flexibility to address long-term maintenance needs. The proposal includes 7% raises for hourly employees and 3% raises for salary employees, while Heseman said LISD is also working to replace aging infrastructure, including HVAC systems.
If the VATRE fails, Heseman said the district would have to review its expenses and determine where it could reduce spending to account for the approximately $3 million shortfall.
Despite the overall tax rate remaining the same, the ballot is required to describe the VATRE as a tax increase because the election changes how much tax revenue is collected for maintenance and operations. Heseman said the proposal shifts how the district’s tax rate is divided rather than increasing the combined rate taxpayers pay.
The district’s tax rate is divided between maintenance and operations, or M&O, which funds dayto- day district expenses, and interest and sinking, or I&S, which is used to pay debt. Under the VATRE, the amount directed to each side would change, while the combined rate would remain at 97 cents per $100 of property valuation.
“The taxpayers give the same amount, whether it goes to one side or the other side of the tax rate,” Heseman said.
LISD’s final community town hall on the VATRE is scheduled for Oct. 5. Heseman said district financial information is also available online and encouraged residents with questions about the election or district spending to contact his office.
“I will talk to anybody about it and show you exactly where everything is,” Heseman said.