Eagle Pass Independent School District Property Tax Rate Increase (Tax Ratification) Approved By Maverick County Voters 

By: Conrado Moran, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

A low voter turnout in the Eagle Pass Independent School District Property Tax Rate Increase (Tax Ratification) Election approved a two and one-half cents property tax rate increase on Saturday, May 27, 2017, with 1,307 votes in favor and 956 votes against. 

The school district’s property tax increase passed by only 351 votes with only 2,263 votes cast in the local election. 

The EPISD property tax increase of two and a half cents per $100 valuation is for the current 2016-17 fiscal year, raising the school District’s property tax rate to $1.18043 per $100 valuation and the total sum of new tax revenues of $411,232. However, the advantage of passing this tax rate increase, according to Superintendent Gilberto Gonzalez, is that the State of Texas is now going to provide $5,575,862 in funding per year to EPISD forever in addition to the $411,232 raised in taxes, totaling new funding of $6,137,094 for the current 2016-17 fiscal year. 

Concerned Maverick County Taxpayers are requesting the EPISD Administration and School Board members of how these new $6,137,,094 Million in revenues are going to be exactly spent on or for the benefit of the education of the over 16,000 students enrolled within the EPISD. 

In addition, Maverick County Taxpayers are requesting the EPISD Board of Trustees not to raise the Maverick County Appraisal District’s 2017 property appraisals as well as not increase again the school district’s property tax rate for 2017-2018 now that they are receiving $6,137,094 Million in new funding. One thing certain is Maverick County Taxpayers do not want any of this new monies to go for any salary and retirement benefits for the EPISD Administration or they plan to vote differently at the next school district election.