Seguin ISD will hold a voter-approval tax ratification election (VATRE) in November 2026. The District’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved plans to call the election at the Board’s Aug. 12 special meeting.
“I want to thank our Board of Trustees for their leadership and our staff for their hard work to put this proposal together for our voters to consider,” Superintendent Dr. Jack Lee said. “Proposition A addresses our funding priorities to support our students, teachers, and staff.”
Proposition A would provide $2.4 million of new funding to Seguin ISD in the current fiscal year (and is expected to provide at least as much each year thereafter) to support the district’s Maintenance & Operations (M&O) instructional budget. If approved by voters, those funds would be used to recruit and retain high-quality teachers and staff, as well as to support safety and security, student programs, and district operations.
Texas school districts have two budgets. The M&O budget pays for “People Costs,” or day-to-day expenses such as salaries, benefits, student educational and extracurricular programs, supplies, maintenance, food, and fuel. The Interest & Sinking (I&S) budget pays down bond debt for renovations, construction, major repairs, maintenance, tax-qualified construction notes, and other projects in bond elections.
All funds generated by Proposition A would be used for daily operations, including salaries, classroom instruction, student services, and employee compensation. State law requires voter approval through a VATRE to raise this portion of the M&O rate.
School districts don't have the same buying power that they did seven years ago. Operating costs have increased nearly 25% due to inflation, while the state has increased basic allotment funding by less than 1%. Proposition A provides the district with additional funding to help fill some of these gaps.
The state has placed a number of unfunded mandates on school districts, including increased requirements for special education, mental health services, and safety and security.
Today, Seguin ISD receives approximately $600 less per student than neighboring school districts.
“Due to a lack of funding for many of these state mandates and rising costs, schools are left struggling to fill these funding gaps,” said Dr. Lee. “This proposal would address these areas for years to come, and it forces the state to kick in additional funding that stays in our school district.”
The District will ask voters to approve a tax rate of $1.0828, which would keep its total tax rate the same as the prior year while maximizing its state funding.
If the new tax rate is approved, it will generate $2.4 million in additional annual revenue starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. That amount includes approximately $950,000 in additional local tax revenue and $1.5 million in additional state funding.
Seguin ISD homeowners would not see an additional increase in their school district tax rate if Proposition A is passed. The tax rate will remain the same as it has for the two previous years. The estimated impact includes the $140,000 homestead exemption.
As of 2025, all VATRE propositions for any school district must have the phrase “THIS IS A TAX INCREASE” on all ballot language.
There will not be an increase in taxes for homeowners who are senior citizens or disabled persons as a result of this proposal, provided they have applied for and received the Over-65 or Disabled Homestead Exemption with the appropriate appraisal district and have made no major improvements or additions to their residence. Check your most recent Notice of Assessed Value Change to see whether you will be affected, or visit guadalupead.org for more information.
The district will begin providing registered voters in the community with factual voter information on all aspects of Proposition A.
“We understand there is a lot of information that we need to share with our voters surrounding the facts of this proposal,” Dr. Lee said. “We have an obligation as a school district to make sure everyone receives the facts so they can feel comfortable making an informed decision when they have that ballot in their hands. We will be sharing information through mail, digital avenues, social media, and community speaking events.”
The district will share all facts and Frequently Asked Questions on its district website once a new webpage is launched with the information surrounding Prop A.
To learn if you are registered to vote in Seguin ISD, please visit votetexas.gov or contact the Guadalupe County Elections Department at guadalupetx.gov/elections. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 5.
Early voting is Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.