Magnolia ISD officials are calling for a local tax election in hopes of generating $7.4 million in funding for staff pay increases and additional constables for school safety.Â
As districts across the Houston region scrambled to come up with for the 2023-24 school year, Magnolia ISD found itself having to forgo teacher and staff raises as a means to operate under a balanced budget, said Denise Meyers, chief communications officer for the district. And while the district was able give a pay bump, officials are moving forward with a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election.Â
MORE ELECTION NEWS: Montgomery voters to decide on extending elected officials’ terms as city grapples with growth
“Our turnover rate is about 20 percent, which is not very good for our district,” Meyers said, noting that the election would allow the district to retain and recruit more teachers and staff, which includes hiring more constables for future campuses. The district is also planning bring more incentive pay through a loyalty program for staff as well.Â
Voters on Nov. 5 will decide whether to increase the current tax rate to $0.9895 per $100 valuation — a $0.03 increase from its current tax rate.
“Based on the proposed tax rate, the average homeowner would pay $8.21 more a month,” said Board President Gary Blizzard in a written statement.
If voters approve the new tax rate, the district will not incur any new debt, but will receive $3.7 million more in local funding annually, which would then create another $3.7 million in state funding — a total of $7.4 million in funding annually.Â
This comes after Houston-area districts reported multi-million deficits as they face the 2024-25 budgeting process this summer, totaling at least $850 million in shortfalls.
NEW COUNTY REGULATIONS: Montgomery County wants legislation change to help regulate roadside businesses
In response to why the district is calling for the election, the district cited the Texas Legislature failing to pass a teacher pay raise bill or a comprehensive school funding plan, despite broad support and a record $30 billion-plus budget surplus in 2023.Â
Currently, the basic allotment is $6,160 per student, a number that is $4,000 below the national average.Â
“That’s five years of continually being asked to do more, with less despite inflation and rising costs,” a release from the district reads. “According to the Consumer Price Index, average inflation since 2019 has increased by 17 percent. Truth is, driving a bus costs more today than it did five years ago; serving a hot lunch costs more that it did five years ago; and the simple act of turning on the lights or water costs more than it did five years ago.”
For more information about the district’s election, visit magnoliaisd.org.
If the full content does not display, visit the article originally published on this site
