Lumberton ISD Board Calls Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election for November 3
Reduced state funding, enrollment declines, and inflation have caused a significant budget shortfall, leading the Lumberton ISD Board of Trustees to call a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) on the November 3rd ballot. The proposition will ask voters to consider a net one penny tax rate increase to help the District:
Protect student programs and services
Continue complying with state-mandated class-size limits
Retain quality teachers and staff
Maintain strong safety and security protocols
Address pressing facility maintenance, transportation, and technology needs
Before calling the VATRE, Lumberton ISD reviewed expenses throughout the budget and identified nearly $900,000 in reductions to protect taxpayers, classrooms and programs.
“Lumberton ISD would receive $2.5 million in additional funding each year if voters approve a net one cent increase to the tax rate,” Superintendent John Mathews said. “This additional funding would eliminate the remaining budget deficit caused by state funding cuts and enrollment decline.”
Enrollment has declined by 243 students since fall 2025. A decline spread across the district does not reduce the number of employees, classrooms or facilities needed. As a result, many operating costs remain the same even as district revenue decreases. “This challenge is not unique to Lumberton ISD,” Dr. Mathews said. “Nearly half of the 1,000-plus school districts in Texas are facing budget deficits due to enrollment declines and reductions in state funding.”
If approved, the VATRE would generate $814,282 in additional local tax revenue and $1.7 million more from the state annually, $2.5 million total. This would erase the district’s budget shortfall of $1.5 million and help address the rising costs of programs and services.
Lumberton ISD will lower its interest and sinking, or I&S, debt tax rate by five cents. The district’s maintenance and operations, or M&O, tax rate would increase by six cents, resulting in a net increase of one cent in the district’s total tax rate.
A one-cent increase equals $10 per year for every $100,000 of taxable property value after applicable exemptions are applied. This election will not affect taxpayers 65 and over. By law, property taxes on senior citizens are frozen and cannot increase if this election passes.
“Calling an election is not a decision this Board took lightly,” Board President Lauren Rothe said. “We asked the administration to reduce expenses first, and the district identified nearly $900,000 in cuts without eliminating student programs or services. Now the question is before voters to consider a net one-cent increase in the tax rate that would make up for the rest of the budget shortfall.”
