Santa Fe ISD board adopts 2025 tax rate, calls Nov. 4 elections for tax ratification and three-bond propositions

The Santa Fe ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt a 2025 tax rate of 1.1014 per $100 of taxable valuation and to order two public elections for Nov. 4, 2025: a voter-approved tax ratification election and a school bond election with three propositions.

Finance staff member Alex told trustees the combined rate comprises a maintenance-and-operations rate of 0.7522 and a debt-service rate of 0.3492, producing an effective decrease of roughly 3.9 percent (about 4 cents per $100 of valuation) compared with last year. Alex also described seven ‘‘disaster pennies’’ included in the calculation — three labeled “golden” pennies that the state bears and four “copper” pennies that affect collections — and said the state would make up the difference so the district would in practice collect about $150,000 less than last year. Alex cautioned that statutory ballot language requires the phrase “tax rate increase” even though the calculation shows a decrease.

Why it matters: By adopting the rate and asking voters…