VOTE411 Voter Guide

MESQUITE ISD PROPOSITION ATHIS IS A TAX INCREASE; Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $1.1762 per $100 valuation in the Mesquite Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 16.3 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the District for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $16,009,008.VOTE FOR OR AGAINST DESCRIPTIONA vote of the people is required when the portion of a school district’s new tax rate used for maintenance and operations exceeds the rate calculated according to a complicated formula set by the state legislature. Mesquite ISD’s total tax rate approved by the Mesquite ISD board ($1.1762) for the 2026 tax year exceeds the State’s calculated rate ($1.0862) and thus must be approved by the voters or else it will revert to the lower State calculated rate. This type of election is called a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE). The tax rate for the 2025 year was $1.1069. The words THIS IS A TAX INCREASE are mandated by the State to be at the top of a proposition like this one.The District anticipates that if this tax rate increase is approved it will raise approximately $16 million in additional tax dollars which, combined with other state funding factors, will provide the $22.4 million revenue needed to balance the budget.”Tax rates per $100 taxable value:2026-27 Tax rate approved by school board and up for voter approval $1.1762 2026-27 Maximum state calculated tax rate without voter approval $1.0862 2025-26 Mesquite ISD Tax Rate $1.1069 The Mesquite ISD intends to use the additional monies raised if voters approve this tax rate increase for student programs and opportunities such as fine arts, athletics, career and technical education, special education, as well as staff compensation, and campus safety.Property tax rates per $100 taxable value for 2025-26 for Mesquite ISD and nearby districts:DeSoto ISD 1.225200Garland ISD 1.170900Mesquite ISD 1.106900Richardson ISD 1.105200 Irving ISD 1.015900Dallas ISD 0.99383Mesquite ISD gets approximately 33% of its revenue from local taxes, approximately 61.5% from state funds, and approximately 5.5% from federal funds. It is considered a “property poor” district for purposes of Robin Hood and therefore will not be required to send part of additional monies raised by this tax rate increase to the state. MISD earned and accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) of B in 2025-26, the second year with this rating, up from a C in 2023-24. .