MFISD tax increase on Nov. 5 ballot
A 2.67-cent tax increase will go before Marble Falls school district voters on Nov. 5. The Board of Trustees approved the ballot measure during its regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 19.
The current tax rate is 88.78 cents per $100 valuation. If approved, the rate would go up to 91.22 cents per $100 valuation.
The change would amount to an $8.90 increase in monthly tax payments for a $400,000 home, which is the median value in the Marble Falls Independent School District.
“This election is critical to ensuring that the district can continue to provide students with the personalized attention and robust educational experiences they deserve,” reads an Aug. 20 statement from MFISD.
Without the $2.2 million in additional revenue that would be raised from the proposed tax increase, MFISD Superintendent Jeff Gasaway said the district might have to increase class sizes, cut extracurricular programs, and reduce staff.
“I’m hoping Marble Falls ISD citizens see the value of public education in this election,” Gasaway told DailyTrib.com.
The proposed tax increase would help offset rising operating costs and inflation, problems exacerbated by the district’s stagnant state funding.
Texas school districts have received $6,160 for each student they educate since 2019. That allotment is no longer enough to fund MFISD’s budget, which is expected to operate in a deficit this year, Gasaway said.
“With inflation, we’re all feeling the effects of increased property values, increased insurance rates, even the cost of a gallon of milk,” he said. “Our hope is that the state Legislature will strongly consider school funding in the 2025 session. They did not address school allotments in the 2023 session.”
The numbers back up Gasaway’s assertion.
Due to ballooning inflation over the past five years, the $6,160 student allotment from 2019 would have to increase to $7,578 per student to hold the same value in 2024. MFISD is currently running at a $1,418 per-student deficit.
The Texas Legislature is responsible for setting the student allotment. Gasaway recommended reaching out to state Rep. Ellen Troxclair and state Sen. Pete Flores to push for higher student allotments in the 2025 legislative session. Both represent Burnet County in the Legislature, which begins its 89th session on Jan. 14, 2025.
Troxclair’s office can be reached at ellen.troxclair@house.texas.gov or 512-463-0490. Contact Flores’ office at pete.flores@senate.texas.gov or 512-463-0124.
Contact MFISD with questions regarding the tax increase at 830-693-4357 or postmaster@mfisd.txed.net.
Early voting for the Nov. 5 election is from Oct. 21-Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5.
2 thoughts on “MFISD tax increase on Nov. 5 ballot”
Comments are closed.
Nothing will happen for public schools with the Legislative process. It’s all about Vouchers for Private schools.
Nothing will happen for public schools with the Legislative process. It’s all about Vouchers for Private schools!Sorry to say.