AISD Voter Approval Tax Rate Election heads to Nov. 5 polls

Anthony Independent School District (AISD)’s Board of Trustees approved a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) during a special board meeting held Aug. 17.

In a unanimous vote, the board of trustees agreed to place the AISD VATRE on the Nov.5 election ballot.

AISD’s VATRE asks voters to consider a 12-cent increase to the district’s maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate. In Texas, M&O budgets are used to fund daily operations, such as salaries, student programs and utilities.

Any property owner who lives within Anthony ISD boundaries would pay 12 cents more per$100 of property valuation. The average taxable home in Anthony, Texas is $67,797. This would mean $81 more per year – or $6.75 per month – in taxes.

If approved by voters, the AISD VATRE is estimated to generate $275,000 in local

funding and $775,000 in state funding.

Anthony ISD, like many other districts across the state, is experiencing a budget

shortfall. Since 2019, there has been no increase by lawmakers to the basic allotment for school districts despite inflation. According to the Consumer Price Index, average inflation since 2019 has increased by 17%.

Passage of the VATRE will generate more local and state funds each year. The district will use these funds to balance our budget, address facility and fleet needs, provide student programming and for teacher and staff salaries.

Three of the district’s priorities if the VATRE passes are the following:

• Installing refrigerated air conditioning in the Anthony Middle School and Anthony High School gyms plus the Anthony Elementary School cafeteria (the buildings currently account with evaporative coolers).

• Resurfacing the Tommy Sanchez Memorial Football Field track that was originally installed in 2012.

• Replacing its aging fleet, which includes a 2009 charter bus.

The projects would be completed one at a time and with input of a VATRE committee.

Passage of the VATRE will not cause an increase in property taxes for Homeowners

65 and over or disabled who have applied for and received the Over 65 Homestead Exemption. However, individuals in these groups can still vote for or against the

VATRE.

AISD will host a variety of community meetings to discuss information for the VATRE. The first informational session will be held Wednesday, August 22 at 5 p.m. in the Anthony High School auditorium during the Senior Parent meeting. The district will update the community about future informational meetings as they are scheduled.