THE SPECTATOR: VOTE YES FOR THE KIDS
Early voting has already started for the upcoming November 4th state and local elections. While there are no candidate races on the ballot, there are two extremely important local issues that deserve your support.
Proposition A is for the issuance of $39 million of bonds by Brenham ISD for major capital improvement projects of school facilities. These improvements and repairs are badly needed and long overdue in our schools. The facility problems have been well-documented and covered by the news media in recent years, and the cost will continue to grow the longer we wait to address them. While $39 million won’t build a new junior high school, it will go a long way to address the facility upgrades and repairs most badly needed. And the best part for taxpayers is that voting “yes” will not result in a tax rate increase. That’s right. No tax rate increase because this debt will just be rolled into the current tax rate for interest and sinking funds.
The other local issue is Measure A, which is a VATRE…voter approved tax rate election. In order for a school district to raise their maintenance and operations tax rate higher than the state allowed rate, voters must approve that rate. Brenham ISD is asking to raise their tax rate by 3 cents, which would generate an additional $2.45 million each year. The majority of this additional money would go toward teacher and staff salaries, which would help make Brenham’s teacher salaries more competitive with surrounding districts. Each year Brenham loses more and more experienced teachers to other districts due to salary. That needs to stop, and voting “yes” for Measure A will go a long way toward retaining those teachers. The increase in your taxes will be minimal, and if you are 65 or older, there will be no increase at all on your homestead taxes. I’ll say that once more. If you are 65 or older, you will not see a tax rate increase on your homestead if Measure A is approved.
Proposition A and Measure A are the product of many, many months of study and conversations by a 50-person strategic planning committee made up of teachers, parents, students and community leaders. This committee recognized that something has to be done to improve our school district’s facilities and retain our teachers. I agree with them, and encourage everyone to vote “For” Proposition A and Measure A in this election. Our kids and grandkids deserve to be taught in reasonable facilities and by experienced teachers. And they deserve your vote to accomplish that. And that’s the way it looks to this Spectator.