Voter-Approval Tax Rate Elections (VATRE)

School boards across the state are working to adopt budgets for the upcoming school year and tax rates to finance them.

Many school boards are adopting a tax rate that exceeds the district's "voter-approval tax rate" to provide more revenue for expenses such as employee pay raises, increasing current staffing levels, or replacing expired federal funding. They are scheduling a "voter-approval tax rate election" or VATRE to seek voter approval of the higher tax rate. These elections must be scheduled by August 19, and the proposition will be placed on the November 5 ballot.

The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) has published a research brief explaining the process and outlining the deadlines that school boards must meet. You can download the brief here.