22-Nov-2023
AUSTIN — Well known Austin attorney and election law expert Roger Borgelt, representing the Travis County Taxpayers Union, filed an election contest petition against Round Rock ISD’s Prop A VATRE tax increase which passed on Nov. 7th, 2023. The VATRE was forced by the fact that RRISD raised their “golden pennies” enrichment tax by 3 cents, from 5 to 8 cents, the maximum allowed, and in a November 8th press release RRISD thanked voters for approving “Proposition A, adding $19 million to the District’s operating budget” (a.k.a. the maintenance and operations M&O budget), increasing revenue compared to the preceding year, an increase the District claimed in their advocacy campaign was “for the teachers”. The original RRISD official budget for this 2023-24 fiscal year – approved in June 2023 – added the 3 cent tax increase anticipating passage of Prop A, and projected the operating (M&O) budget revenue would increase by $8.7 million compared to the preceding year. Whatever the exact revenue increase is from the 3 cent tax increase, the District unlawfully disclosed that increase as “0 percent” and “an amount of $0”, both of which are false by RRISD’s own admissions – notwithstanding their expensive advocacy messaging to the contrary.
TCTU Director Don Zimmerman adds, “RRISD’s government school not only admitted the 3 cent golden penny tax increase would increase revenue compared to last year – they bragged it was even better new revenue because not a single penny of it could be refunded as ‘equity payments’ (a.k.a. Robin Hood recapture) back to Texas state government. Whether the increase is closer to $8.7 million or $19 million, the golden pennies rate increase produced more new M&O revenue than “0 percent” and “$0″, as the unlawful ballot language claimed. We ask the court to enforce the law against RRISD by declaring the deceptive election void, denying RRISD collection of the extra 3 cent tax grab”.