Round Rock voters face school tax hike
A November 3 ballot includes a proposed 3.09 percent increase in Round Rock ISD maintenance and operations tax revenue.
By John Laurent ·
Round Rock Independent School District voters will decide on a property tax increase on November 3. Proposition A on the local ballot seeks to ratify an ad valorem tax rate of 0.9484 cents per dollar of valuation. The district states this rate will generate 3.09 percent more maintenance and operations tax revenue for the current year compared to the previous year. That increase amounts to an additional 12,313,099 dollars in funding.
The local contest is one of several decisions facing residents in Williamson County. Voters will also choose officials for the Williamson County Commissioners Court, the Austin Community College board of trustees, and the Round Rock ISD board of trustees. These local races run alongside federal and statewide contests that affect taxes, education, and infrastructure across the state.
The federal ballot includes a race for the United States Senate. Ken Paxton, a Republican, faces James Talarico, a Democrat, and Ted Brown, a Libertarian. House races are contested in District 11, District 17, and District 31. Incumbents August Pfluger, Pete Sessions, and John Carter all seek re-election against Democratic challengers Claire Reynolds, Casey Shepard, and Justin Early, respectively. Greg Stoker, a Green Party candidate, also appears on the ballot in District 31.
Statewide, voters will select the next governor. Incumbent Greg Abbott runs against Democrat Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian Pat Dixon. The lieutenant governor race features incumbent Dan Patrick against Vikki Goodwin, Anthony Cristo, and Kevin McCormick. Other statewide offices include attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, and railroad commissioner. The Texas Supreme Court has four contested seats, with incumbents Jimmy Blacklock, James P. Sullivan, Kyle Hawkins, and Brett Busby running for re-election.
Local and county races offer specific choices for Round Rock residents. Catherine Totty, the incumbent tax assessor-collector, faces Eric Hanke in the Williamson County race. In the Williamson County Commissioners Court Precinct 4 race, incumbent Russ Boles runs against Harmon Rhea. For the Williamson Central Appraisal District board of directors, Hope Hisle-Piper and Clint Stephenson are the candidates. At the college level, Fabian Cuero and Troy J. Evanovich compete for a seat on the Austin Community College District board.
Voting is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all polling places in Texas. Residents in Williamson County may cast ballots at any county polling location. Those in line by 7 p.m. are eligible to vote. The full list of locations is available on the Williamson County website. The sample ballot provided by local media excludes uncontested races and focuses on legislative positions.
The election takes place on Tuesday, November 3. This date marks the general election for national, statewide, and local offices. The outcome of Proposition A will directly impact the tax bill for property owners in the Round Rock Independent School District. The other races will determine who holds power in the Texas legislature, the state executive branch, and local county and school boards.
Source: Community Impact Austin
