Northwest voters reject tax rate increase; district looking at changing class sizes
Voters in the Northwest school district soundly rejected a proposal to increase the tax rate that would have brought in $16 million for teachers and students alike.
Voters were asked to approve increasing the maintenance and operations portion of the property tax rate by 3 cents, but the proposal failed, with 55.47% voting against it and 44.16% in favor, according to unofficial results.
The increase lost in Tarrant, Wise and Denton counties. The district said the money was needed because it is not receiving enough funding from the state to increase teacher salaries and take care of other needs.
The tax would cost the owner of a $500,000 home $120 per year.
Superintendent Mark Foust said in an emailed statement that the district is disappointed the property tax rate wasn’t approved at a time when Northwest is in a budget deficit.
Now, the school district will have to look at adjusting class sizes for the 2025-26 school year and consider other “budget changes.”
Officials will meet with campus leaders to discuss potential changes, according to a news release.
“While we’re disappointed in the result, we understand that increases in any tax rate are challenging for taxpayers,” Foust said. “Northwest ISD will continue to engage our lawmakers in the hopes that they will stop withholding funding that benefits students and teachers. School districts are facing unprecedented choices that have a direct impact on the classroom, and it’s time for our state leaders to step up and do what’s right for the 5.5 million children in Texas public schools.”
Before the election, Foust said the school district had adopted a budget with a $15.8 million deficit despite “rampant inflation and inaction from the state Legislature over the past six years to address public school funding.”
Foust also said that school districts throughout the state have cut positions and eliminated student programs to balance their budgets.
Most of the districts’ operating budgets go toward salaries, and in the Northwest school district, 84% of the operating budget goes toward staffing.
Tough decisions will have to be made if there is no funding increase, Foust said.
Northwest has grown by 1,200 students a year for the past 20 years, and enrollment stands at 32,000. It is expected to remain a fast growing district for 30 to 40 years.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:33 PM.