Northeast San Antonio Metrocom | December 2025

Education

BY THOMAS LEFFLER

Northeast San Antonio school districts were left without additional funding after the results of the Nov. 4 election. Both Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD and Judson ISD had voter-approval tax rate elections, or VATREs, on the ballot for voters in Guadalupe and Bexar counties. Unocial totals in the counties saw 5,896 votes, or 49.76% , for the SCUCISD VATRE with 5,954 votes or 50.24% against the increase. If successful, the VATRE would have raised the district’s prop- erty tax rate $0.12 per $100 valuation to $1.1969 per $100 . Voters in Bexar County rejected the JISD prop- osition, with unocial totals showing 5,874 votes or 39.99% for a tax rate increase, while 8,813 votes or 60.01% were against. JISD’s board of trustees called for a VATRE that would have increased the district’s property tax rate by $0.045 per $100 to $1.0796 per $100 . What it means SCUCISD’s VATRE proposition failing means the district will not receive $16.2 million in annual revenue. According to the district, SCUCISD now faces a $10.7 million budget decit with the VATRE failing to pass. According to previous reporting by Community Impact , the funding generated by the tax increase would have concentrated on student programs like athletics and band. Money would have also gone SCUCISD, JISD tax rate elections failed by voters

District tax rate history Voter-approval tax rate elections, or VATREs, would have increased the

+11.14%

$1.4106

$1.3605

$1.5

$1.3246

$1.1969

$1.1396

$1.0769

$1.1392

local property tax rate for both Schertz-Cibolo- Universal City ISD and Judson ISD.

$1.27

$1.2749

$1.22

$1.0796

$1.0346

$0.9796

$0.5

+10.2%

Key:

SCUCISD JISD

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

2025-26* VATRE

School year

SOURCE: SCHERTZCIBOLOUNIVERSAL CITY ISD, JUDSON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

*TAX RATES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENACTED HAD THE VATRE PROPOSITIONS PASSED.

toward technology replacements, safety projects and sta salaries. Chief Financial Ocer Brian Moy said when the VATRE was called that $11.5 million of budgeted spending for deferred projects and one-time capital items will have to be reconsidered. JISD’s board initially wanted the maximum VATRE increase to $1.1196 per $100 on the ballot, before lowering the gure to $1.0796 per $100 as an appeal to voters. The VATRE failing to pass means the district will not receive approximately $21 million annually to help lower its current decit. According to the latest JISD budget amendment on Oct. 16, the district’s decit sits at $27.57 million . Learn more As part of planning, SCUCISD will establish a committee to examine major areas of spending and identify potential reductions. Outgoing Board President Ed Finley said SCU- CISD will “continue to engage our community in open dialogue and make decisions guided by our purpose” of helping students.

“We cannot continue to operate with a decit budget, and that means every decision ahead will continue

to require our thoughtful planning, collaboration and transparency.” PAIGE MELONI, SCUCISD SUPERINTENDENT

“We will need to make decisions in the months ahead to control

costs while maintaining essential programs for our students and sta.” MILTON “ROB” FIELDS III, JISD SUPERINTENDENT

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