Longhorn Weekly

Dear Vega ISD Community:  

This past week has seen lots of action in Vega ISD! We wrapped up a very successful Scholastic Book Fair last week. CCF Church honored our seniors last week with Senior Night and our seniors and their parents had the opportunity to attend FAFSA Night at Vega High School to learn about some financial aid opportunities and resources for college. Report cards were sent home for the first nine-week grading period marking the halfway point of the fall semester! High school students held a Spirit Walk with the band, cheerleaders, cross country runners, football players, and volleyball players walking through the elementary and junior high hallways getting everyone excited about the first district football game.  

Last Saturday the Vega High School Marching Band earned a Division 1 Rating at the UIL Marching Contest in Amarillo and will be advancing to the Area Marching Contest in Abilene in a couple of weeks. A Division 1 Rating is the highest rating that can be received in a music contest. We are very proud of our students and band director and wish them well in their next competition. Please see the district’s web page and Facebook page for more information.  

Last week the JV and Varsity Volleyball teams traveled to Sanford-Fritch to continue their district games.  The JV team came up a little short on the scoreboard while the Varsity team battled back to win in five games to stay undefeated in district play.  The junior high football team traveled to Farwell last week and played a tough game against the Steers while the Varsity Longhorns played hard as well against Farwell but came up a little short on the scoreboard.  

Thanks to everyone who attended last week’s Coffee & Conversations at Mama Jo’s for a more informal question and answer session to get the facts about the VATRE election. We will have another Coffee & Conversations at Hickory Inn this Thursday from 8 AM - 9 AM and would welcome anyone to attend.  

The Vega ISD school board is proposing an overall tax rate of $1.3555 ($0.8555 for Maintenance & Operations & $0.50 for Interest & Sinking). This overall tax rate is an increase by 12 cents per $100 property valuation. By fact, this would be the third lowest tax rate in the past 10 years and the second lowest M&O tax rate in the past 20 years. 

Our district’s total budget is approximately $5,599,000. Like many districts across the state, we are experiencing a deficit budget. We have talked about this in previous Longhorn Weekly columns. If the VATRE passes, the budget deficit will be approximately -$330,000.  If the VATRE fails, the budget deficit will be approximately -$850,000. One way other districts approach reducing budget deficits is through absorbing personnel positions when they open up. While this takes time, this is a plausible strategy if the budget deficit is approximately -$330,000. However, if the budget deficit is approximately -$850,000 the only real way other districts approach reducing this shortfall is through eliminating programs and personnel positions within the district. This is essentially the difference between having a single class with 27 students or having two smaller sized classes with 13 and 14 students, respectively.  

Last school year, the state compressed the district’s M&O tax rate. If the School Board would have called for a VATRE last school year, there would have essentially not been an overall tax rate increase. However, the Board wanted to make sure the district had reduced expenditures as much as possible before asking the voters to approve the tax ratification election.  

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. 

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, which pays for educational programs along with faculty and staff salaries. 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. If you have an organization or group who would like to set up a Q&A about the VATRE, please reach out to me and we would gladly make arrangements for you.  

Thank you,

Jerry Adams

Superintendent, Vega ISD