La Feria Voters Asked to Approve TRE Election

Deadline to Vote in Nov. 5 Election is Oct. 7, School District Could Realize $1.9 Million  for Pay Raises

La Feria School District residents interested in voicing their opinion by voting in the Tax Ratification Election TRE scheduled for November 5 should make sure they are registered before the October 7 deadline.

Registering to vote is easy in Texas. It doesn’t even require a stamp! Official applications to register to vote are postage-paid by the State of Texas.

You may obtain an application from the County Voter Registrar’s office, the Secretary of State’s Office, libraries, many post offices, or high schools. At http://www.sos.state.tx.us/, you may request an official, postage-paid application. Or, you may download an informal application, but you will be required to affix a stamp before mailing. You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver’s license. If you are not sure you are registered, you can go to the website above and check.

Read the instructions on the form, fill it out and mail it postage-free to the County Voter Registrar, or hand-deliver it to the County Voter Registrar’s office.

You must be at least 17 years and 10 months of age on the date you apply. If for any reason you cannot register yourself, with your permission, your spouse, parent or child may fill out and sign an application for you if that person is a registered voter or has applied for voter registration. This person is known as your “agent.”

The application must be received in the County Voter Registrar’s office or postmarked 30 days before an election in order for you to be eligible to vote in that election. You will receive a voter registration certificate in the mail after the County Voter Registrar has processed your voter registration application. Upon receipt of the voter registration certificate, sign it, fold it and keep in it in your wallet and take it to the polls with you when you vote.

All voters who registered to vote in Texas must provide a Texas driver’s license number or personal identification number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety or the last four digits of your social security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, then you must state that fact on the application by checking the designated box.

The La Feria Independent School Board of Trustees has approved a Tax Ratification Election to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. By law, the District can only provide information. Therefore, they have prepared a list of questions and answers to better inform our community.

1. What is a tax ratification election? It is a tax swap involving the maintenance and operation and interest and sinking fund.

2. What are the maintenance & operation and interest and sinking fund?
The maintenance and operation fund is used to account for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in special funds. The interest and sinking fund accounts for all payments of principal and interest for our current outstanding bonds.

3. What does tax swap means? The state allows reducing taxes paid to the interest and sinking fund with a corresponding increase to the maintenance and operation fund because this generates additional funds in the maintenance and operation fund; however, an election must be held.

4.What is the current tax rate for La Feria ISD?
Maintenance and Operation                             $1.04
Interest and Sinking                                             $0.2591
Total                                                                            $1.2991

5. What will the new tax rates be with the tax ratification election?
Maintenance and Operation                               $1.17
Interest and Sinking                                               $0.1291
Total                                                                              $1.2991

6. What effect is there in the tax swap since the tax rate stays the same?
La Feria ISD will generate an additional $1.9 million this year and $1.4 in subsequent years.

7. What will the new monies be used for?
Employee pay raise to impact retention and recruitment. Upgrade La Feria facilities to include student safety items. Purchase additional instructional technology for the classroom and upgrade other identified technology needs.

8. Will the overall tax rate increase if the tax ratification election passes?
No, the overall tax rate of $1.2991 will remain the same.

9. When and where is Election Day for the tax Ratification Election?
Election day is Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at the Old Sam Houston Elementary campus located on 474 Villareal Street in La Feria Texas.

10. When and where is early voting?
Early voting will be conducted at 474 Villareal Street (Old Sam Houston) starting on October 21 Through November 1, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

We will have additional voting hours on Saturday, 26, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

11. Who will conduct the tax ratification election?
The Cameron County Elections Department.

12. Who can vote in the tax ratification election?
All registered voters of La Feria ISD.

13. When is the deadline for new voters to register for the tax ratification election?
October 7, 2013 is the dealine to register for the November 2, 2013 election.

14. What other school districts have conducted a tax ratification election?
Edcouch ISD, Edinburg CISD, Sharyland ISD, Weslaco ISD, Mission CISD

15. Why is the tax ratification election being considered?
The La Feria ISD administration is seeking ways to be more efficient with tax revenues and to fund the needs of the district without raising taxes or eliminating services to students.

16. Where can I get more information on the tax ratification election:
The LFISD website, as well as public meetings that have been scheduled at each campus and other community locations.