On August 14, 2025, the Coupland ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to call for a Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election (VATRE), to be held on November 4, 2025.
What is a VATRE?
- It is a Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election. It is a TAX INCREASE for day to day operational expenses.
Taxes for school districts are divided into 2 buckets
- Interest & Sinking (Debt) – used for capital projects like construction
I & S tax rate is $0.50
- Maintenance & Operations (Day to Day operations)
With the VATRE - the M & O tax rate is about $0.6922
Without the VATRE - the M & O tax rate is about $0.6622
The VATRE proposition, that will be on the November 4th ballot seeks voter approval to increase the M & O tax rate by $0.03, bringing the total school tax rate to $1.1922.
M & O taxes are used for Day to Day operational expenses (Salaries, utilities, paper, fuel, repairs, textbooks)
- 75%-80% of current budget goes towards staff salaries
Why? Why A VATRE?
- For the 2025-2026 budget year, the district projected and the Board approved what would be a deficit budget without VATRE revenue
- Future salary and healthcare costs will increase in 2026-2027
And….
- There will be initial, one-time, and reoccurring costs incurred by the district with the opening of a second campus.
Why is the district is asking for a VATRE when the community just passed a bond (in May 2023)?
- Bond funds can only be spent on construction. Once the new school is built, if it was picked up and turned over, anything that falls out is paid for with M & O funds – people and stuff.
If the VATRE for $0.03 (M &O) passes, the district would see an increase in revenue of about $240,939 to use for Day to Day operations, such as adding staff as needed, salaries increases and supplies.
The 3 cents are special. They are GOLDEN pennies.
1. Golden pennies are high yield
$ Local - $93,771
$ State - $147,168
$ Total Additional Revenue - $240,939
2. GOLDEN Pennies are NOT subject to RECAPTURE. All the funds would stay in Coupland ISD.
People whose taxes are frozen will not be affected.
$140,000 Homestead Exemption would apply (if approved by voters in November) and has been calculated in district calculations.
Impact
A $190K assessed property value would see an increase in their taxes of $1.25/month or about $15/year
A $390K assessed property value would see an increase in their taxes of $6.25/month or about $75/year