Underwood offers simple explanation of tax ratification elections

Stephenville, Dublin holding TREs as part of November election

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From Stephenville ISD Superintendent Matt Underwood:

Early Voting Begins Monday

The Stephenville ISD Board of Trustees has approved a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) to be held on Tuesday, November 3rd.  Early voting begins on Monday and will be available until Friday, October 30th at the Erath County Courthouse from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays.

Stephenville superintendent Matt Underwood
Stephenville superintendent Matt Underwood

A Tax Ratification Election sounds complicated, but it’s actually very simple. 

The Stephenville ISD tax rate is made up of 2 components: 

  • The Maintenance and Operations side (M&O)
    • This part of the tax rate pays for our day-to-day operating expenses such as utility costs, payroll, supplies, textbooks, etc. 
  • And the Interest and Sinking side (I&S)
    • This part of the tax rate is used to pay our Bond debt. 

The Board of Trustees is asking voters to consider moving 13 cents from the I&S side of the tax rate to the M&O side.  Our tax rate is currently $1.2349, and if the TRE is approved by voters, it will still be at the $1.2349 rate because this is just a swap… it’s literally moving 13 cents from the I&S side to the M&O side.

Dublin ISD is also moving forward with this strategy in the November election, and Comanche ISD voters approved a TRE on September 12th.  Weatherford ISD voters approved this strategy in 2010.


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Election Day Voting

Tuesday, November 3

Hours: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm

Erath County Courthouse

100 W. Washington

Centurylink Telephone Office

1505 W. Frey

Texas Bank

988 Wolfe Nursery Road

Dublin County Annex

219 S. Grafton

Dublin, TX

Below is a chart explaining how Stephenville will have the exact same tax rate if voters approve a tax swap in the upcoming tax ratification election.

TRE Chart

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