Q. "The 2024 Bond is to build a school big enough to hold 270ish K-8 kids, but the district only wants to have 150 kids in the school at any time to maintain a 15:1 teacher ratio (well below the average). The total cost over the 3 year bond is 30.4M. This is a 63% increase in school taxes."

A. The new facility will provide a dedicated classroom for each grade level as well as a science classroom laboratory combination instructional area for both K-5 and 6-8 grades as required by TEA. The new facility will also provide 2 CTE classrooms to allow for additional instructional programs to be added. TEA dictates the size of each classroom area and that total size is what is used to calculate the occupancy. The 15:1 ratio is the district’s preferred maximum student to teacher ratio, but the facility must be designed to TEA minimum standards regardless of the student to teacher ratio.

Q. "No information was provided to support whether the demographics of the district will ever be able to support the school. No estimates to build, architect designs or specific plans have been presented at any of the meetings. This ends up being a blank check."

A. The conceptual architectural floor plans have been presented at all meetings and are available for viewing through many different sources including the school website, bond boards, and flyer handouts at the school office. The total amount of the bond funds are what will be required to construct and complete the facility.

Q. "No town halls or surveys were conducted to gather input from the community at large and notice of the bond election has been less than adequate. Many people have only found about it in the past few days. Even the posts on the school Facebook page gave no indication of a bond proposal."

A. The board of trustees elected a group of community members to evaluate, receive input and provide a recommendation to the board of trustees. The community committee met several times throughout the 2023-2024 year to consider options and worked through many variables to arrive at the recommendation presented to the board. The announcement of the bond was published in local news outlets as well as on the school website in February of 2024.

Recapture Funds

For 2023/24 the District’s recapture payment was less than the prior year 2022/23 due to the compression of the M&O tax rate down from $0.8546 in 2022/23 to $0.6997 in 2023/24. The taxable value for 2023/24 remained relatively unchanged from the prior year due to the increase in the homestead exemption from $40,000 up to $100,000. The number of students remained relatively unchanged as well. With that said, the District’s recapture payment calculation using the State’s formula for 2023/24 compared to 2022/23 was very similar. The difference in the amount of money the District was required to send back is due to the overall M&O tax collections for SBISD being less in 2023/24 than 2022/23 because the M&O tax rate was lower. The recapture money was a similar percentage owed just from a smaller bucket of collections resulting in a lower recapture payment due from SBISD.

Homestead Exemption

With respect to the difference the increase in the homestead exemption up to $100,000 made for SBISD taxpayer bills, please see the following example. The bottom line is a taxpayer with a $150,000 home paid approximately $349.85 in school taxes for 2023/24. If the homestead exemption would have remained at $40,000, the same taxpayer would have paid approximately $769.67 in school taxes. For 2022/23, the same taxpayer paid approximately $940.06. With the compression of the M&O tax rate and the additional homestead exemption increase, the taxpayers are paying substantially less in school taxes.

Estimated Tax Bill for $150,000 Home Value for 2022/23:

$150,000 Home Value

Less $40,000 Homestead Exemption

$110,000 Taxable Value

$110,000 / 100 = $1,100

$1,100 * $0.8546 = $940.06 (Due from Taxpayer)

Estimated Tax Bill for $150,000 Home Value for 2023/24 Assuming $40,000 Homestead Exemption:

$150,000 Home Value

Less $40,000 Homestead Exemption

$110,000 Taxable Value

$110,000 / 100 = $1,100

$1,100 * $0.6997 = $769.67 (Due from Taxpayer)

Estimated Tax Bill for $150,000 Home Value for 2023/24 Assuming $100,000 Homestead Exemption:

$150,000 Home Value

Less $100,000 Homestead Exemption

$50,000 Taxable Value

$50,000 / 100 = $500

$500 * $0.6997 = $349.85 (Due from Taxpayer)

How can I determine if I’m registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status here. All you need is a few things: Voter ID number or Texas Driver’s License number, your name, county of residence, and date of birth.

How do I register?

You can fill out a registration application online, but an original application with signature must still be mailed to your local county voter registrar.

Brandy Ann Carr

112 S. Dixon St.

Gainesville, TX 76240

P: 940-668-5500, Option 8

VoterReg@co.cooke.tx.us

You can also call the statewide Voter Registration Office at 210-335-VOTE (8683) and request a voter registration application. You may also find voter registration applications at libraries, government offices, high schools, or with volunteer deputies.

When is the deadline to register?

Turn in your application by April 4, 2024 to vote on May 4, 2024. Get an application online here.

I just moved. Do I need to re-register?

If you moved to a different county, yes. If you moved to a different address within the same county, no. All you have to do is update your address online. You can also get a new voter registration application, make note of your new address, and mail it to the Voter Registration Office.

When does early voting begin?

Early voting starts April 22 and runs through April 30.

When is Election Day?

Election Day is May 4. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What do I need to bring with me to vote?

You need to provide one of the following seven forms of identification:

· Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

· Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS

· Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS

· Texas Handgun License issued by DPS

· United States Military Identification Card containing your photograph

· United States Citizenship Certificate containing your photograph

· United States Passport (book or card)

If you don’t have one of the seven forms of identification listed above and can’t reasonably get one, you can also bring one of these:

· A copy or original of a government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate;

· A copy of or original current utility bill;

· A copy of or original bank statement;

· A copy of or original government check;

· A copy of or original paycheck; or

· A copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity, which may include a foreign birth document.

Where can I vote?

Sivells Bend ISD, Gym, 1053 CR403, Gainesville, TX 76240

What about absentee ballots?

Get an application for ballot by mail here. You can vote by mail if you are:

· Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting

· Sick or disabled

· 65 years of age or older on Election Day

· Confined in jail, but eligible to vote

· Mothers expecting a baby 3 weeks before or after Election Day

Have more questions?

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