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Budget advisors urge voter-approved tax election to close funding gap as district faces enrollment drop
Summary
A community-appointed budget advisory committee recommended Socorro ISD pursue a voter-approved tax-rate election (VADER) to address a per-student funding shortfall, while the district CFO warned of a projected enrollment decline that could reduce next year’s revenue by roughly $7 million.
Socorro Independent School District trustees heard a unanimous recommendation from the district’s budget advisory committee to pursue a voter-approved tax-rate election to raise operating revenue, the committee’s vice chair told the board.
The advisory panel, which met four times, concluded that while the district spends proportionally more on instruction than many neighbors, Socorro ISD receives roughly $1,000 less per student compared with nearby districts and operates with one of the lowest local tax rates in the region. "Spending isn't necessarily the issue. It's a funding gap issue," the committee vice chair said, arguing that a voter-approved election is needed to give students "an equitable, reasonable chance" at…
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