10/18/2026
I see several VVISD Board members are making posts about asking taxpayers to vote for the VATRE tax increase saying they voted to lower the I&S, (Debt) tax rate. Per VVISD"s newspaper published notice, the VATRE will raise your taxes $261 this year, on average. While technically it is true that after the VVISD Board voted to raise the I&S tax rate to 26.12 cents in June 2026, to more than double what was needed to make the bond payment, they voted to lower it to 12.97 cents the same meeting that they voted to raise the M&O rate 6.5 cents in August.
The reality is the same VVISD Board voted unanimously to raise the I&S tax rate last year 6.5 cents, to $21.65 cents, when they should have lowered it to about 14 cents to make the bond payment. (Think VVISD's mortgage payment on the outstanding bonds). That cost the average taxpayer $169 last year. With that and the excess fund balance of more than $1,200,000 in the I&S account, they don't need any taxpayer funds to make this years bond payments, but they just want more of your tax money.
The truth is the same VVISD board has voted unanimously to raise your property taxes FIVE times since August 2024. Now they are saying they lowered the I&S tax rate for one year so we should give them an M&O tax increase that will in effect be permanent, going forward. In fact, several VVISD board members, Dr. Womack, the VVISD VATRE web page, and the VVISD Official page have all threatened to raise the I&S tax rate back to $0.2612 or $0.2545 if the VATRE fails. I know, they have a hard time keeping their numbers straight. Most of the posts are still out there and I have copies if they disappear. They have backed off that slightly since I called them on it and they have no legal way to do it for 2026, since the deadline passed.
If we vote for the VATRE, it will in effect be a permanent tax increase, whereas there is nothing stopping them from raising the I&S tax rate in 2027. The last time VVISD made a similar election was in 2010, after the 2009 election failed by 202 to 102. VVISD made a written "Sure Promise" to lower the I&S rate by the same 8 cents they wanted us to vote to raise the M&O rate, saying it would not cost taxpayers anything. They went back on that written "SURE PROMISE" four years later. They say that was a different board and it does not apply to them, but they are still collecting that additional 8 cents of M&O tax each year. They want to have their cake and eat it too.
The truth is VVISD's numbers have been all over the place as I have documented several times, WITH THEIR documents. In VVISD's Community Notes, Dr. Womack talks about telling the facts and making corrections. They have not issued any corrections other than the ballot language, to those error-ridden documents.
Another truth is VVISD has less teachers this year than last and added $455,000 in additional administrative expense. That is straight out of their own budget and Community Notes. That increased Administrative spending is a huge part of the funds passing the VATRE will raise. Based on some of Dr. Womack's charts the increased Administrative spending is more than 90% of what additional taxes the VATRE will raise.
Tell VVISD to sharpen their pencil and stop trying to maximize their tax revenue at the expense of the taxpayers. Last year they wanted a huge bond that would have raised the I&S tax rate almost 35 cents. Granted, a 6.5 cent increase is smaller but it will take the M&O rate to the state maximum and all it funds is increase Administrative expense, not teachers.
Tell VVISD we are Taxed Enough Already. VOTE NO.
Early voting starts at the Cooke County Courthouse Annex on Monday, 8-5. It will be the last item on the ballot after you vote for Senator, Governor, etc.
Steve Ga***rd, Concerned VVISD Taxpayer, Treasurer, Valley View Bond
