Central Texas School Tax Elections Yield Mixed Results
Central Texas voters signaled a cautious approach to school funding in a series of elections held this week, approving tax rate increases for two districts while rejecting proposals in three others. The outcomes will impact classroom instruction, teacher pay, and district operations across the region.
Voters in Liberty Hill ISD approved a tax rate increase expected to generate $10.9 million for student programming, staff salaries, utilities, and safety measures. District officials noted they had already implemented $10 million in budget cuts over the past two years. Taylor ISD also secured voter approval for a tax rate of $1.0638 per $100 of valuation, projected to bring in an additional $650,000 for classroom instruction, career and technical education, and othre student programs – a rate 4 cents lower than the previous year. Approximately 59.6% of Taylor voters supported the measure.
However, Blanco ISD voters rejected a 2-cent rate increase that would have generated roughly $500,000 annually for teacher pay and class size maintenance. The district now faces a projected $550,000 operating fund gap, perhaps leading to cuts in student programming. The measure failed wiht 52.5% of voters opposed. Coupland ISD also saw its 3-cent tax rate increase proposal defeated, with 55.8% of the 260 voters rejecting the measure which would have generated $241,000 to support the district’s second campus.
These tax rate elections are a key mechanism under state law allowing school districts to seek voter authorization for rates exceeding those the school board can independently adopt. The maintenance and operations tax rate, subject to these elections, directly funds essential expenses like teacher salaries, classroom resources, and building maintenance.
The results echo a broader trend from 2024, where voters in Austin, Manor, and San Marcos approved higher tax rates, while proposals in Coupland, Liberty Hill, Marble Falls, and Seguin failed.
