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Heads up, taxpayers and parents: We’ve audited the upcoming CROSBYTON CISD agenda. There are 5 items targeting parental consent and taxpayer funds that need your immediate attention before the gavel falls.
| 🚨 Alert (LEVEL 10) |
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Vote on New Property Tax Rate with No Details Provided
The board is scheduled to adopt the property tax rate for the 2026-2027 school year. The agenda fails to state the proposed rate or compare it to the no-new-revenue rate, which is the rate that would raise the same amount of money as the previous year. This lack of transparency prevents taxpayers from knowing if this vote is a tax increase until it’s too late.
Response
PACK THE ROOM: This is the most important vote of the year for your wallet. Show up and demand the board publicly state the proposed rate and the no-new-revenue rate before voting. Contact the board: ‘I demand a vote on the no-new-revenue tax rate. Do not raise our property taxes.’
💰 Impact: A potential property tax hike passed without public awareness.
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| 🚨 Alert (LEVEL 9) |
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Final Approval of School Budget Without Public Documents
The board is voting to approve the entire budget for the upcoming school year, locking in all spending. However, the agenda does not include a link to the proposed budget document. This forces the board to vote on a massive spending plan that the public has not had an adequate opportunity to review.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the district office before the meeting and ask for the proposed 2026-2027 budget to be posted online immediately. Email the board: ‘Postpone the vote on Item 4.D. Taxpayers deserve to see the budget before you vote to spend our money.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed spending on consultants, non-essential programs, or administrative bloat.
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| ⚠️ Warning (LEVEL 7) |
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Superintendent Given ‘Blank Check’ to Move Money
Item 4.F grants the Superintendent the power to move money between different budget categories (‘functions’) without needing prior board approval for the rest of the fiscal year. This weakens the board’s oversight role and reduces transparency, allowing funds to be shifted away from their voter-approved purposes behind the scenes.
Response
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY: Contact the board and urge them to vote NO on Item 4.F. ‘The board’s primary duty is fiscal oversight. All budget transfers should require a public discussion and a recorded vote by the trustees, not a unilateral decision by staff.’
💰 Impact: Loss of public oversight on how tax dollars are spent after the budget is passed.
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| ⚠️ Warning (LEVEL 7) |
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Budget Changes Hidden in Consent Agenda
The board plans to approve amendments to the current 2025-2026 budget by hiding them in the consent agenda (Item 4.A.4). The consent agenda is passed with a single vote and no discussion, which is an inappropriate way to handle financial decisions. This prevents the public from knowing what money is being moved and why.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the board: ‘Pull Item 4.A.(4) from the consent agenda for a separate discussion and a roll-call vote. The public deserves to know the details of any and all budget amendments.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed. Could be anything from covering cost overruns to shifting funds to new, unbudgeted programs.
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 5) |
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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Convention
The agenda notes the TASA/TASB Convention. The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) are two of the most powerful lobbying groups in Austin. They frequently use taxpayer money to lobby against property tax relief, school choice, and other conservative reforms. Attending this convention signals alignment with their political agenda.
Response
ASK THE QUESTION: Contact the board: ‘How much taxpayer money is being spent for district personnel to attend the TASA/TASB convention? Does our district support their legislative platform that advocates for higher taxes and opposes parental rights?’
💰 Impact: Tax dollars spent on travel and fees that support organizations lobbying against taxpayer interests.
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