Voting Opportunities

Early voting
July 28 - August 10
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CISD Administration Building
604 Culver St.

August 4 - 5
7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
CMS library

Regular voting
Saturday, August 14
7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
CMS library

Tax ratification election set for August 14

Under state law (House Bill 1), Texas school districts must call a tax ratification election (also called a rollback election) to raise their maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate above $1.04 to gain additional local and state funds. HB1 caps the M&O tax rate at $1.17. Commerce ISD is one of 300 Texas districts that have called a local election to meet rising costs.

Traditionally, rising property values would help public school systems raise money, but the state has removed that option with House Bill 1. Texas districts are now revenue neutral and funds from rising property values reduce the amount of state aide received by the district dollar for dollar. Currently, the only way that school systems can access additional M&O funds per students is to hold tax ratification elections.

What is the district seeking?
Commerce ISD is requesting an increase in the maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate, from $1.04 to $1.17, an increase of 13 cents. The total proposed tax rate is $1.5951.

How much money will this raise?
The $1.17 M&O tax rate will raise an additional $500,000 in local revenue and over $400,000 in state revenue.

How did we get to this point?
In 2005-2006 the legislature froze funding levels to school districts. Because the district had been frugal with their resources in prior years, a healthy fund balance (or savings) of over $5 million had been amassed. Because the state funding system did not allow districts to generate additional revenue, Commerce ISD adopted deficit budgets in the amount of at least $600,000 during the last three years, which were funded through the district savings or fund balance. This practice cannot continue because the district fund balance is dwindling. The State of Texas requires the district to have at least three months operating expenses available in the fund balance.

How much will this cost a homeowner?
The proposed total tax rate would mean $130 annual tax increase on a $100,000 home or $10.83 per month. For a home valued at $200,000 the increase would be $260 per year or $21.66 per month.

What about persons who are 65 or over?
The proposed tax rate increase does not affect the taxes on homes of persons who are 65 years of age or older.

What has the district done to conserve funds for the coming school year?
The district reduced the budget by more than $524,000 through a three percent cut in all campus and department budgets, staff cuts through attrition and program changes, and reduction of the prekindergarten program to a half day.

What will happen without the additional funding?
The district will increase class size through the reduction of staff and return teaching specialists back to the classroom as vacancies occur as a first step. CISD will also be forced to initiate cutbacks in extracurricular and co-curricular programs. Teachers will only receive step raises while other professionals and auxiliary staff will not receive raises. Essential building maintenance such as roofing will be postponed.

More information
about the Tax Ratification Election

Superintendent Blake Cooper explains school district finance and what the numbers mean for Commerce.

Powerpoint presentation

KETR Radio interview

Notice of election

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Do we just show up and vote on August 14? Also where do we vote? Does every eligible voter vote or just one per household?
Every voter registered within the Commerce Independent School District may vote at the Commerce Middle School library on August 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting opportunities are available beginning July 28 -August 10 at the CISD Administration Building at 604 Culver St. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An additional early voting opportunity will be occur August 4-5 in the CMS library from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.