August 17, 2021 - Monday evening, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held on Nov. 2. These two separate elections will consist of a Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election (VATRE), which will address teacher and staff compensation and new teaching positions, and a Bond Election, which will address continued District growth. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29.
Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election
The Board called for a VATRE to generate additional local revenue to provide teachers and staff with additional compensation and to fund new teaching positions to meet student enrollment growth.
With its passage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliary personnel receiving a $1.50 hourly pay increase. Revenue generated by the VATRE could fund compensation increases of up to three percent annually over the next three to four years.
“In June, this Board approved a resolution that would ensure that revenue generated by the VATRE, both this year and in future years, is dedicated solely to fund teacher and staff compensation, as well as new teacher positions,” says Comal ISD Board President Jason York. “As a Board, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers, staff and auxiliary employees are compensated fairly for the work they do on behalf of our students.”
If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020’s tax rate of 92 cents. In following years, the tax rate is projected to lower back to 92 cents in 2022 and 91 cents in 2023 due to rising property appraisal values. In addition, taxpayers continue to receive the benefit of the 20 percent local homestead exemption, which equates to $65 per month, or $780 per year, in savings.
Bond Package
For the past two years, the Comal ISD Board has been working with a group of community members representing all areas of the district to develop a bond package that allows the district to continue to address nearly 6,000 new students who are projected to enroll in Comal ISD over the next five years.
Proposition A, at $411, 287,320, will fund the construction of four new schools: Elementary #19, which will provide relief for Clear Spring and Freiheit Elementary Schools; Elementary #20, which will provide relief for Garden Ridge and Morningside Elementary; Middle School #8, which will relieve Pieper Ranch Middle School; and a new Hill Country College Preparatory High School. Proposition A will also fund campus reinvestment and infrastructure projects as well as the purchase of campus safety and security, buses and land.
Proposition B, at $61,487,803, will fund a variety of athletic program enhancement projects at Canyon, Canyon Lake, Smithson Valley High and Mountain Valley Middle. Proposition C, at $20,397,672, will fund stadium capacity expansion projects at both Canyon Lake and Davenport High Schools. Proposition D, at $34,540,000 will fund student and teacher instructional technology and network infrastructure projects.
Details about the VATRE and Bond 2021 can be found on the District’s website.
Comal ISD residents who need to register to vote or need to update their voter registration due to a recent change of address, may do so until Oct. 4. Visit Votetexas.gov for more information on how to register.