Funding on the ballot From the cover
The specifics
SCUCISD
Meloni said extra revenue would also go toward fighting “inflationary costs” in areas like fuel, utilities, health insurance and property insurance. Teacher and staff salaries are also a factor for SCUCISD, as a VATRE would increase the likeli- hood of raises for the 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years. In June, the district approved its 2025-26 compensation plan, which provides raises for teachers as mandated by House Bill 2, as well as additional raises for teacher-scale employees not
covered by HB 2, at a total cost of $430,000 to the district. “We have a very solid plan of where [extra reve- nue] dollars are going to go for the next four years, the majority of it across four years is going to be in compensation and taking care of our [staff] in sal- aries, health care increases, those types of things,” said Deanna Jackson, SCUCISD’s executive director of communications and community engagement.
SCUCISD’s desire for a VATRE comes from what district officials call “overdue deferred projects” as well as the battle against rising costs in other areas. Of the $5.94 million of deferred projects to be tackled if voters approve the VATRE, the largest department expense is in fine arts. The item with the highest fine arts cost is $3.1 million worth of band instrument replacements. Superintendent Paige Meloni said that approximately 75% of students participate in some type of fine arts as early as fourth grade. She said the majority of those students will continue on fine arts tracks, but the district cannot afford the staff or space to accommodate new programs. Another $5.58 million chunk of VATRE- contingent projects is capital expenditures for safety. This includes band towers for Byron P. Steele II High School and Samuel Clemens High School, as well as playground replacements at several campuses.
Measuring the impact
“We have historically just done really well, with very little, for a very long time. It is really embed- ded in the culture of this district … [but] this is where we are at now,” she said.
SCUCISD’s proposed tax rate of $1.1969 per $100 valuation would cost the average homeowner $2,219 annually. This would still result in a savings of $453 for the average homeowner due to new homestead exemptions, Chief Financial Officer Brian Moy said. A statewide savings that impacts all school districts, including SCUCISD, is Senate Bill 4. The bill increases the school property tax exemption on homesteads from $100,000 to $140,000. Another bill, Senate Bill 23, increases exemptions for elderly or disabled homeowners. Moy said if the district did not raise its tax rate, the average homeowner would see a reduction of about $566. He said with the VATRE vote, the district is asking taxpayers to reinvest the difference in savings back into the district. Jackson said this is the time for SCUCISD to be “proactive” and avoid future actions like cuts in programs.
Potential tax impact District homeowners will still see savings on a tax bill with a VATRE due to the impact of homestead exemptions.
Proposed projects District projects involve four major departments and one-time safety upgrades.
Safety, security projects: $5.59M Fine Arts: $3.57M Technology: $897K
Current
$2,672
2024-25
Without VATRE
Total $11.53M
CTE: $882K
$2,106
2025-26
Athletics: $599K
With VATRE
$2,219
2025-26
SOURCE: SCHERTZ-CIBOLO-UNIVERSAL CITY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Tax bill
SOURCE: SCHERTZ-CIBOLO-UNIVERSAL CITY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
One more thing
Voters in the SCUCISD boundary will have their say on the VATRE item, which, if approved, would provide funding for department projects and long-term employee salary raises. If approved, the district tax rate will be $1.1969 per $100 valuation in fiscal year 2025-26. The average homeowner will still see savings on an average tax bill due to new legislation on homestead exemptions, district staff said.
SCUCISD
SCUCISD
VATRE approved
VATRE denied
• Proposed tax rate: $1.1969 (per $100 valuation) • Decrease in monthly average tax bill compared to prior year: $37.75 • Revenue raised by the district: $17.16 million
• District tax rate: $1.1369 (per $100 valuation) • Decrease in monthly average tax bill compared to prior year: $47.16 • Budget shortfall for 2025-26: $6.13 million
SOURCE:SCUCISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
16
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook