Brownsville Independent School District

Early Voting Dates:

Monday, September 21 – Friday, October 2

Tax Ratification Election (TRE) Day:

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

What’s This About?On Tuesday, October 6, 2015, Brownsville ISD will hold a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) in order to restructure the tax rate that funds our schools. This factual information has been prepared to inform voters about the upcoming election. All eligible voters are encouraged to become informed and exercise their right to vote in this important election. The BISD tax rate will be restructured. The district must get voter approval in a Tax

Ratification Election to restructure the tax rate.

The district proposes to move .11 ¼ cents from the Interest & Sinking Fund (Debt Service) to Maintenance & Operations. The total tax rate will remain the same at $1.15 ¼ as presented and approved in the budget at the June 25, 2015 BISD Special Called Board Meeting.

If the TRE is approved, it will generate between $5 to $6 million net per year in additional state funding to be used for one-time expenditures to improve, repair, and expand district facilities and enhance security.

RGV School District Tax Rates

The TRE will not increase BISD’s total tax rate as presented and approved in the budget at the June 25, 2015 BISD Special Called Board Meeting. The district has one of the lowest tax rates of all Rio Grande Valley school districts.

Tax Ratification Election Priority ProjectsPending a successful Tax Ratification Election, BISD plans on pursuing the following district priorities:

Calendar Year 2016

Early College High Schools

Porter Early College High School – Band Room/New Facility/ModernizationPace Early College High School - Band Room/New Facility/ModernizationLopez Early College High School – Soccer Field UpgradeVeterans Memorial Early College High School – Visitor’s Bathroom Facilities-StadiumMiddle Schools

Vela Middle School – Middle School Track FieldBesteiro Middle School – Middle School Track FieldLucio Middle School – Middle School Track Field

All Schools----------Safety and Security Resources Library Resources

 Currently In Progress: Faulk Middle School Weight Room, Hanna ECHS CTE Facility, Rivera ECHS Weight Room/Training Facility

Tell Me More…

Los Fresnos San Benito La Feria Lyford

Donna Edcouch-Elsa Edinburg Hidalgo

La Joya La Villa Lasara Lyford

Mission Monte Alto PSJA Rio Grande

Rio Hondo Roma San Isidro Santa Maria

Santa Rosa Sharyland Weslaco Raymondville

Most neighboring school districts have already passed Tax Ratification Elections to meet the needs of students and schools.

Districts with Voter Approved TREs

Brownsville ISD has recently taken significant steps to reduce expenses and

improve services. Beginning this year, all elementary schools will offer open enrollment and 9

elementary schools will offer extended day enrichment programs to increase student enrollment.

Pre-kindergarten programs at 10 elementary schools have been expanded to serve more students.

Responsibilities for all employees have been strategically realigned to improve services.

Expenditures have been reduced by scaling back the use of external consultants and trimming out-of-district travel.

Since February 2015, almost 200 positions have been reduced through employee attrition.

OFFICIAL BALLOT - TAX RATE ROLLBACK ELECTION(BOLETA OFICIAL) - (ELECCIÓN DE RESTAURACIÓN DE TASA TRIBUTARIA)

A Part 4, 16 Part 17, Part 48, Part 50 B C

Brownsville Independent School District(Distrito Escolar Independiente de Brownsville)

October 6, 2015 (6 de Octubre del 2015)INSTRUCTION NOTE:Vote for the statement of your choice by darkening in the oval ( ) provided to the left of the statement.(NOTA DE INSTRUCCIÓN:Vote por la declaración de su preferencia llenando completamente el espacio ovalado ( ) a la izquierda de la declaración.)Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $1.1525 per $100 valuation in Brownsville Independent School District for the current year, a rate that is $0.1125 higher per $100valuation than the school district rollback tax rate.(Aprobar la tasa de impuestos ad valorem de $1.1525 por cada $100 de valuación enel Distrito Escolar Independiente de Brownsville para el corriente año, una tasa que es$0.1125 por cada $100 de valuación mas alta que la tasa impositiva anterior del distrito escolar.)

FOR (A FAVOR)

AGAINST (EN CONTRA) SAMPLE

The total tax rate will remain the same at $1.15 ¼ as presented in the budget at the June 25, 2015 BISD Special Called Board Meeting. The district proposes to move .11 ¼ cents from the Interest & Sinking Fund (Debt Service) to Maintenance & Operations (M&O). This will allow the district to acquire additional state funds.

Early Voting Dates & LocationsMonday, September 21 – Friday, September 25 • 9 AM–6 PMMonday, September 28 – Friday, October 2 • 9 AM-6 PM

Brownsville Public Library (Central Branch) • 2600 Central Blvd. Brownsville Public Library (Southmost Branch) • 4320 Southmost

RoadBISD Administration Building • 1900 Price Road

Monday, September 21–Friday, September 25 • 9 AM–6 PMMonday, September 28–Wednesday, September 30 • 9 AM–6 PMThursday, October 1 • Friday, October 2 • 8 AM–8 PM

Cameron County Courthouse • 974 E. Harrison

Precincts • Voting Sites on Election Day, Tuesday, October 6 • 7 AM–7 PM

BISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or genetic information in employment or provision of services, programs or activities.

Part 4, 16, Part 17, Part 48, Part 50

Yturria Elementary School, 2955 W. Tandy Rd.

5, 37, 45 Canales Elementary School, 1811 International Blvd.

6, 7 Webb Career & Technical Education Bldg, 1351 E. Polk St.

8, 38, 97 Sharp Elementary School, 1439 Palm Blvd.

9 Putegnat Elementary School, 730 E. 8th St.

10, 69, 70 Cromack Elementary School, 3200 E. 30th St.

11,12, 13 Russell Elementary School, 800 Lakeside Blvd.

60, 71 Perkins Middle School, 4750 Austin Rd.

15 Martin Elementary, 1701 Stanford St.

46, 63, 86, 96 Gonzalez Elementary School, 4350 Jaime J. Zapata Ave.

53, 77 Garza Elementary School, 200 Esperanza Rd.

54, 72, 73, Part 74 Burns Elementary School, 1970 Alton Gloor Blvd.

62, 75 Pace ECHS, 314 W. Los Ebanos Blvd.

Part 14, 68, 82, Part 102 Rivera ECHS, 6955 FM 802

76, 101, 106 Hudson Elementary School, 2950 FM 802

98, 107 Benavides Elementary School, 3101 McAllen Rd.

47, 49, 61 Brownsville Public Library, 2600 Central Blvd.