Early voting — what you need to know
Election Day Voter Guide: Important dates, how to check your voter status, where and when you can vote early, and what you need to bring on Election Day. When is election day? • Tuesday, November 5th is Election Day. That day, voting will open in Texas from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can vote if you are in line by 7pm on Election Day. Where can I vote early? Early voting runs from Monday, October 21st through Friday, November 1st. Click here for early voting times and locations in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. How many people voted early? A record number of people voted early on Monday, the first day of early voting. Click here to see daily early voting totals for Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties and compare them to previous years. Who’s on the ballot? Click the links to filter races by category or county. Federal Races | State Races | Collin County | Dallas County | Denton County | Tarrant County How do I vote by mail? The deadline is approaching. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Allen Independent School District is asking voters to consider a $447 million bond issue this November.
The bond package, which the district says will not increase current tax rates, includes campus improvements, safety and security upgrades, capital improvements, technology equipment and new surfaces on two campuses.
Allen ISD said all campuses in the district will receive some level of improvement from the 2024 bond. Below is a closer look at the district’s 2024 bond package.
Allen Proposal A – $419,062,253
Campus improvements, safety and security upgrades, and capital improvements.
Complete campus renovations are planned for Curtis Middle School, Olson Elementary School, Cheatham Elementary School, Green Elementary School, Norton Elementary School and Anderson Infant School. Ford Middle School will also be renovated and include its first turf surface and running track.
Renovation of the existing Allen ISD Activity Complex Construction of the Allen ISD Multi-Purpose Complex Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing repairs, replacements, and efficiencies on several campuses Roofing on several campuses to prevent water ingress into building envelopes Concrete and foundation repairs on several campuses Campus grounds and irrigation replacement, repairs, and efficiencies Repairs and replacements of food service equipment Repairs, replacements, and additions to playground equipment Purchase of new school buses and academic vehicles New bus rider cameras Purchasing Systems Vehicle Maintenance Equipment Lifts, Tools, and Diagnostic Technology We maintain our vehicles in-house. Life safety system upgrades – Equipment and systems such as AEDs, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire panels, etc. Security camera system upgrades and additions to replace and upgrade cameras that have reached the end of their life cycle Campus IP base, etc. Technology Enhancements Bell PA and Multimedia Notification System Classroom Media Stations and Campus Print Devices Classroom Technology including Interactive/Multimedia Displays and A/V Upgrades Network Infrastructure Upgrades Data Center Infrastructure Upgrades Raleigh Tennis Court Replacement ( Pickleball available for community use (including installing tiered seating for spectators and striping the courts)
Allen Proposal B – $5,359,654
Lowry Freshman Center and Curtis Middle School road surface. Replacement of outdoor running tracks at Curtis Middle School and Lowry Freshman Center
Allen Proposition C – $23,077,793
Technology Devices: WiFi mobile computing devices for students in the Empower 1:1 program (all campuses – grades PK-12) and WiFi mobile computing devices for teachers and campus staff (all campuses – grades PK-12).
The bond amount shown does not include interest paid. Learn more about Allen ISD’s bond proposal here.
Allen ISD said the district’s tax rate has decreased by $0.31 since voters approved the last bond in 2020. Mr. Allen’s current tax rate is $1.1258 per $100 of assessed real estate value, split into $0.39 for I&S and $0.7512 for M&O.
How are Texas school districts funded?
School districts in Texas are funded by three sources: federal funds, state funds, and local taxes. Local taxes are made up of two rates set by the school board: maintenance and operation (M&O) and interest and deductions (I&S). M&O is money used to pay for the district’s day-to-day operations, such as salaries, professional development, utilities, curriculum, building maintenance, and student services. I&S is money generated from bonds to pay for new construction, renovations, security, buses, and other large expenses. I&S tax rates are used to repay bonds. Funds approved for M&O and I&S projects cannot be mixed.
How can I use the bond money?
Bonds can only be used for capital projects such as new buildings, renovations, security upgrades, land acquisition, and other non-recurring expenses. It cannot be spent on salaries, staff, utilities, fuel, or other recurring expenses. The money paid back from the bond includes interest over a long period of time, typically 30 years. Many school districts try to pay off bonds early to save on interest charges.
What is Vatre?
VATRE stands for Voter Approved Tax Rate Election. If your district needs increased funding for payroll, daily operating expenses, or other recurring expenses, you should ask voters to approve an M&O voter-approved tax rate (VATR) increase. Many districts have deficits and therefore hold VATRE to increase M&O funding. The state Legislature hasn’t increased funding for schools since 2019, and many school districts are feeling cash-strapped due to inflation and additional funding mandates such as adding more armed police officers to each campus. states.
“This is an increase in property taxes.”
State law requires Texas school districts to include the phrase “This is a property tax increase” on all ballot proposals. That would be the case even if the proposal did not raise tax rates. The proposal states that many school districts in Texas could issue bonds without increasing their I&S rates. This is often done by taking on new bond debt while repaying older, declining debt. Read the district’s proposal carefully to understand whether voting yes on the bond package will change your tax rate. Even if tax rates are not increased, changes in property tax assessments can result in a larger tax burden for property owners.
