Dear Vega ISD Community:
We are thankful to TxDOT for coming to our school this week for the Drug Free presentation. It is always good for our students to hear such important messages from partners such as TxDOT. We are also thankful for our grandparents who were able to visit the elementary school last week for Goodies with Grandparents!
Our junior high football team played their first game of the season last week in Shamrock. The team played hard and it was fun getting to see everyone get to start off their season. The JV football team continued with their season as well in Shamrock and came away with a bunch of smiles and a win. Our junior high volleyball team made the long drive to Wildorado this week to win their games while our JV and Varsity volleyball teams came away with a sweep of victories last week in Wildorado and Dimmitt. Our junior high and cross country teams participated in their meet in Amarillo last weekend while our Ag Mech students were showcasing their work again at the Tri-State Ag Mech Show in Amarillo. Our 4-H students are showcasing their talents at the Tri-State Fair as well. The mini-cheerleaders took care of business with their performances at last week’s pep rally and at the halftime show of last Friday’s football game. The Varsity Longhorns played a tough game on Friday night and showed their toughness and hard work but came up a little short. If you haven’t heard the Vega High School Band perform or seen their marching show, be sure to make plans to attend the next football game - they’re sounding great! Be sure to check out the district webpage and Facebook pages for more information and pictures from all of these activities.
The Vega ISD school board is proposing a tax rate of $1.3555 ($0.8555 for Maintenance & Operations & $0.50 for Interest & Sinking). This tax rate is an increase by 12 cents per $100 property valuation. For a home that is valued at $200,000 (after the $100,000 homestead exemption the taxable value of the home would be $100,000) an approved VATRE would increase the taxes by $120 a year or $10 a month. Similarly, for a home that is valued at $300,000 (after the $100,000 homestead exemption the taxable value of the home would be $200,000) an approved VATRE would increase the taxes by $240 a year or $20 a month.
Why did Vega ISD call a VATRE? Vega ISD called a VATRE to generate additional maintenance and operation funding. The district is facing budget shortfalls because of inflation and the state’s compression of the tax rate. The costs of the district’s utilities, insurance, and fuel have increased. In response, the District implemented cost saving measures, but those measures have not kept up with inflation. The District is careful to have energy management controls in place to reduce waste, but the cost of services continues to increase. For example, since 2018-2019, the District’s electric bill has increased by 42% (over $33,300); the District’s gas bill has increased by 73% (over $14,800); the District’s fuel bill has increased by 167% (over $24,600); and the District’s insurance bill has increased by 130% (over $118,000).
Because this tax rate exceeds the district’s no-new-revenue rate set by the state, the district must conduct a Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election (VATRE) in November. If approved, the proposed tax rate would result in over $500,000 in additional revenue for the District which would be used to fund the maintenance and operation of the district, including the ability to provide the enriching educational opportunities through staffing and programming found in Vega ISD. If VATRE is approved, property owners 65 and older with a homestead tax exemption would experience no change to their taxes as a result of the election. If the VATRE fails, the District will not be able to adopt a tax rate above the no-new-revenue tax rate.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Jerry Adams
Superintendent, Vega ISD