Skip To Main Content
Board Calls November 5 Local Tax Rate Election
Kate Hope

Magnolia Independent School District’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to call a local school funding election for November 5. The election would fund employee and constable pay increases, incentive pay through a new MISD Loyalty Pay program for staff including constables, and additional campus constables to address school safety. 

Known also as a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election or VATRE, the local school funding election will ask MISD voters to consider whether or not the district can access three additional pennies on the maintenance and operations tax rate so the money can be used to better compensate staff and constables, and improve school safety.

Board President Gary Blizzard stated, “A local school funding election will allow us to give raises to our teachers and constables, give one-time payments through our MISD Loyalty Pay Program, and fund safety and security at our schools. Based on the proposed tax rate, the average homeowner would pay $8.21 more a month. This money would be recurring every year and allow us to retain our teachers and constables and continue to attract and retain the best!”

School tax rates and budgets are made up of two main parts - maintenance and operations or M&O and interest and sinking or I&S. M&O tax collections are used to pay daily operating expenses like salaries, utilities, supplies, and fuel. I&S can only be used to pay down debt for voter-approved school bond elections.

If voters approve the November 5 VATRE, the district does not incur any new debt, but it will receive $3.7 million more in local funding annually and $3.7 million more in state funding annually to be used for staff salaries and campus safety. If voters reject the November 5 VATRE, the district will not receive the additional $3.7 million in local funds or the $3.7 million in state funds annually to pay for staff salaries and campus safety.

School officials report that about 86% of the district’s operating budget goes toward salaries and benefits. Despite adopting balanced budgets, conservatively spending, and prioritizing staff compensation, MISD still ranks 11th among area public schools when it comes to salaries for experienced teachers. The district is proposing to use money generated from the November 5 VATRE to fund salary increases, to include a MISD Loyalty Pay program for employees and constables based on their years of service to the district.

Voters will be asked on the ballot if they are FOR or AGAINST the proposed school funding for MISD. Early voting for the November 5 election begins October 21 and continues through November 1 at any Montgomery County voting location. Election day voting will be done by precinct from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5. To participate in the November election, you must be registered to vote in Texas by Monday, October 7.

To learn more about the local tax rate election, visit https://www.magnoliaisd.org/district/vatre-2024

To help staff and families better understand the public school funding system in Texas, Magnolia ISD launched a Money Matters information campaign in June. The project helps break down complex school funding formulas and explains the impact decisions at the state level are having on local school districts.


To learn more, visit the Money Matters website at https://moneymatters.magnoliaisd.org/