By David Taylor Managing Editor
Channelview ISD will look to the upcoming legislative session for possible financial relief after voters rejected all five propositions in the Nov. 3 election, turning down additional operating revenue and bond funding for facilities, technology and athletics.
Superintendent Dr. Tory C. Hill said the results reflected the financial pressures facing families in the district.
“We realize the reason we were not successful was because the average taxpayer is experiencing the same level of financial challenge that school districts are dealing with. Inflation is real for both school districts and individuals and so we feel it was a direct result of what our everyday families are experiencing,” Hill said.
He thanked voters for participating and said the district heard their concerns.
“We respect and appreciate our voters for getting out and casting their vote and sharing their feedback with us. It was very clear that families are under financial strain right now and one more item would not be helpful for families,” he said.
The ballot included a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, known as a VATRE, and four bond propositions. All five failed, with opposition ranging from 60.88% to 72.48%.
Proposition A — Maintenance and Operations Funding
Proposition A, the VATRE, would have provided $7,488,233 in additional maintenance and operations funding. Voters rejected the measure, with 71.16% against and 28.84% in favor.
The proposal called for a 7-cent increase to the district’s tax rate to help attract and retain quality teachers and staff, support special education staffing and student services, and address operational budget needs. Its defeat means the district will not receive the proposed additional revenue or associated state funding.
Hill, however, said passage of the VATRE alone would not have changed the tax rate.
“If the VATRE had passed only, It would not have affected the tax rate at all,” Hill said. “If all five propositions would have passed, the overall impact for the average home in our community would have been less than $10 per month.”
The information provided describes Proposition A as a proposed 7-cent tax-rate increase but does not explain how that increase would have been offset to leave the overall rate unchanged.
Proposition B — Facilities, Equipment, Safety and Infrastructure
Proposition B sought $106,825,000 for facility improvements, equipment purchases, safety, infrastructure and other identified projects. It failed with 60.88% voting against and 39.12% in favor.
The result leaves the district without authorization for the proposed bond funding for those projects.
Proposition C — Technology Devices
Proposition C would have authorized $19,080,000 in bonds to purchase technology devices for Channelview ISD students and staff. The measure failed with 68.19% against and 31.81% in favor.
The district will not receive authorization to issue the proposed technology bonds.
Proposition D — Athletic Facility Renovations
Proposition D sought $8,815,000 to renovate the Jennings Athletic Complex, including Ray Maddry Memorial Stadium, the Bill Neal Center, and the baseball and softball complex.
The measure drew the strongest opposition of the five propositions, with 72.48% voting against and 27.52% in favor.
Proposition E — Multipurpose Indoor Facility
Proposition E would have provided $30,420,000 to construct a multipurpose indoor facility. It failed with 68.78% against and 31.22% in favor.
Hill said each proposition, including the VATRE, had merit and was focused on district needs. He pointed to the indoor facility as an example of a project that could be viewed as optional but was intended to address student safety and changing athletic requirements.
“The multi-purpose indoor facility, for example, addressed the new UIL requirement for Wet Bulb Globe Temperature that requires us to ensure students are not outside in the Texas heat at certain times,” he explained.
Hill said football students practiced at 5 a.m. this past summer to avoid extreme heat, particularly in August and early September.
“Although it may be perceived as a want rather than a need, our football students this past summer practiced at 5 a.m. in order to get a good practice in and avoid the extreme heat, particularly in August and early September. It challenges us to inform our community on the changing UIL rules so that they remain aware and we can accommodate for that.”
Channelview will be the only school in the North Channel area without an indoor practice facility.
Before the election, Hill said the district hosted approximately 25 meetings with homeowners associations, at each campus and at churches to explain the propositions and their purposes.
Legislative session will guide next steps
Hill said he will now work with the board of trustees to solidify a plan for the upcoming legislative session. Any changes in state support for public education could influence whether the district pursues another VATRE.
“If this next session is able to address some of our financial needs in public education, that may help us shift our need for a VATRE. The whole purpose of the VATRE was because of the state funding challenges we were seeing,” he said.
For now, the district will wait to see what happens in the Legislature before trustees decide whether to revisit the bond proposals and VATRE.
Hill said spring would be too soon for another election because lawmakers would still be in session. The earliest a new bond proposal could return would be a year or more later, he said.
“We’re not in a grave situation with this and by the summer, we should be aware of what’s going to happen in the legislature and what kind of help we can expect,” Hill said.
Channelview ISD was not alone in its bond defeat. Every Harris County school district that proposed bonds saw those measures rejected by large margins. Much of that angst came as a repudiation of Harris County Commissioners who passed another tax onto taxpayers prior to this election. In the last three years, commissioners have raised taxes approximately 60 percent.
Leave a Reply