Fort Bend ISD Former Board Presidents’ Support Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE)
Fort Bend ISD – The six immediate past president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees have joined the Fort Bend EDC and Sugar Land Mayor in supporting the Fort Bend ISD Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE).
The Letter states “On November 8 voters in our community will be asked to approve Fort Bend ISD’s local property tax rate which is currently $1.21 per $100 of appraised value to remain at that rate. This is a critically important election that will significantly impact the future health of our schools and economic well-being of our community. We — six immediate past presidents of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees — are not asking voters to approve an increase in the tax rate. Instead, we are only asking voters to keep the rate at $1.21.”
The former presidents’ letter asks taxpayers to keep Fort Bend ISD’s tax rate at $1.21 per $100 of appraised value. The letter explains that the $1.21 tax rate is an investment needed to maintain safe, high-quality schools for the district’s students, and to ensure the economic health of the greater community. The $1.21 tax rate remains the lowest in Fort Bend County and one of the lowest in the greater Houston metroplex.
The District’s current annual revenue of $9,987 per student is $1,517 less per student than the state-wide average and $590 less per student when compared to districts of comparable size. Keeping the rate at $1.21 will increase revenue per student by $600.
It is the former presidents’ shared view that failing to maintain the current tax rate would be devastating to our district. The lost revenue would likely require the District to make severe cuts to the budget, including elimination of much needed educational programs and staff reductions. It would also hurt the local economy by negatively impacting property values.
“Voting to maintain the current tax rate is the smart financial decision,” said former FBISD Board of Trustees President Jim Rice. “The District cannot afford to go backwards. The economic health of our community requires strong schools.”
The full letter of support can be read at https://vote4strongschools.com/
-- End –