ANTHONY, Texas (KTSM) — The Anthony Independent School District (AISD) is asking residents to vote for a tax rate increase that will make improvements to their schools.
In August, the AISD Board approved placing a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) on the Nov. 5 ballot to raise money to fund some of these improvements.
“There’s a lot of need. Part of it is standing right here in this gym. We have evaporative coolers, or they are called swamp coolers. We’d like to convert this gym, the high school gym, and the elementary,” Dr. Oscar Troncoso, AISD superintendent said.
District officials said the tax increase would be 12 cents more per $100 of property value.
The tax hike would equal $81 more per year or $6.75 per month in taxes for the average homeowner. People 65 and older will not be impacted by the tax increase.
If VATRE passes, officials add that the district will also repair the outdoor track and buy another charter bus, since the one the district owns is over ten years old.
“Our kids don’t play neighboring schools because they’re too big, right? So, they have to go to far away places like Kermit. They have to go to Presidio. They have to go to Crane. And so, these are like 4 or 5-hour trips. So, we do need a charter bus. What we have now is 15 years old from 2009. A new one costs about $800,000,” Troncoso said.
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