Editor’s Note: This article ran in the October 16 edition, but since this is the only local election choice, we hope it may reach the affected voters.
The Yoakum Independent School District is having a Voter Approved Tax Revenue Election (VATRE) election, which will appear on the November ballot of DeWitt County voting precincts 201, 202, 203 & 204.
Many area school districts have opted to ask their voters to approve the VATRE, or “golden pennies,” revenue option because Texas has not raised the allotment revenue for schools since 2019. However, according to Yoakum ISD Superintendent Tom Kelley, inflation has increased 18-20% in that time frame.
“Everything has gone up: electricity, fuel, parts, insurance,” Kelley said.
Most districts, including Yoakum, plan to use VATRE revenue to compensate their teachers and employees.
“We are allowed 3 golden pennies that are not subject to recapture,” Kelley said.
Texas’ “Robin Hood” education funding requires districts with higher revenue to send “excess local revenue,” as determined by the Texas Education Code, back to the state. Funds from the VATRE revenue would not be subject to recapture.
With property evaluations increasing, taxing entities usually lower their tax rate to maintain a consistent budget. Kelley said Yoakum ISD lowered their tax rate from 1.00904 per $100 valuation in 2023 to 1.0059 this year. He said with the VATRE increase the tax rate would still be lower than last year’s.
Kelley said the average home appraisal in Yoakum was $82,150 and, with the VATRE included taxes, residents would pay $2.42 a month.
He said if the VATRE passes it will continue each year. This year the revenue would be $857,208 and employees would start seeing their raises in January.
