SAN ANTONIO – Northside Independent School District voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a tax increase and three bond propositions. The district is also facing a $33 million budget deficit.
The Northside ISD Board of Trustees voted Aug. 11 to place the proposals on the November ballot following several weeks of work by the district’s Citizens’ Bond Committee. The committee included parents, community members, business leaders, district employees and other representatives who reviewed the district’s future needs and potential options.
Proposition A is a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, or a VATRE. If approved, the district’s tax rate would increase from $1.0049 to $1.0349 per $100 of taxable value.
For a home valued at $100,000, that would mean an estimated increase of about $30 per year, according to Northside ISD interim Superintendent Jessica Palomares.
“It would look to help support our teacher salaries, our most recent teacher compensation plan that was approved by our board, as well as reducing our budget deficit,” Palomares said.
Unlike bonds, which fund major construction and infrastructure projects, a VATRE provides additional money for day-to-day school operations. That can include employee compensation, classroom programs and supplies, transportation and utilities. Money that comes from a bond is not interchangeable with money that is allocated from a VATRE.
The VATRE plan, approved by the board, will only be implemented if voters approve the VATRE. If the VATRE does not pass, Palomares said district leaders would have to revisit the budget.
“We would have to re-prioritize, take a look at our budget, and then from there we could kind of see what we move forward with,” Palomares said.
Bond propositions
Bond funds cannot be used for routine operating expenses such as salaries, general maintenance or classroom supplies. Instead, bonds finance major, one-time investments in facilities and infrastructure.
- Proposition B - $764.7 million: General school facility projects, including campus renovations and reconstruction, buses, and safety and security improvements
- Proposition C - $56 million: Instructional technology, software improvements and the life-cycle replacement of technology
- Proposition D - $65.5 million: Replacement of the district’s roughly 50-year-old George Block Aquatics Center
Bond projects can also include new schools and facilities, aging heating and air-conditioning system replacements, and other campus improvements.
The three bond propositions, if approved by voters, would total approximately $886.2 million.
In a statement from the district, Northside ISD Board President Dr. Sonia Jasso said the district plans to provide clear and transparent information about the proposals as the election approaches.
“The NISD Board’s decision to call a VATRE and Bond election reflects our continued commitment to the students, staff, and families of Northside,” Jasso said.
District officials said they plan to visit campuses and departments, share updates and answer questions in the coming weeks.
The last day to register to vote in the election is Oct. 5.
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