Socorro ISD board calls for 'VATRE' tax rate election. Here's what it means to you

ocorro Independent School District voters will head to the polls in November to decide whether to allow the district to raise its tax rate beyond what is allowed by the state to help its financial status, potentially cutting into property tax savings approved by the Texas Legislature.

The SISD board voted 6-0 Thursday to call for a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, that could bring in up to $49.2 million a year. Board President Michael Najera was absent from the meeting.

“The funding could help maintain and strengthen our educational programs,” SISD Chief Financial Officer David Solis said. “If voters do not approve it, we must adopt a lower voter approval rate, that would mean less local revenue, which could limit our ability to maintain current programs and services at the same level.”

Trustees voted unanimously to approve a tax rate of 27 cents per $100 valuation to repay its debt and a rate of 79 cents per $100 valuation for operations, totaling $1.06 per $100 valuation for the 2025 tax year. The voter-approval rate – the highest it could have adopted without going to voters – is 94 cents per $100 valuation.



https://elpasomatters.org/2025/08/15/sisd-tax-rate-election-2025-penny-swap-vatre-heads-to-voters/