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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming ROUND ROCK ISD agenda and found 5 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 9) |
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Adopting Policy from Anti-Taxpayer Lobby Group
The board is conducting a first reading of ‘Policy Update 127’ from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). TASB is a taxpayer-funded lobby group that frequently opposes property tax relief, parental rights, and educational freedom at the state legislature. Districts often adopt these policy templates without sufficient public review.
Response
DEMAND LOCAL CONTROL: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding Item H5, reject the one-size-fits-all policies from the TASB lobbying group. All policies should be developed locally and transparently, not handed down from an organization that lobbies against taxpayer interests.’
💰 Impact: Entrenching Lobbyist Policies
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| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District Considers Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE)
The district is presenting a budget update that includes a ‘VATRE’ scenario to address a projected multi-million dollar deficit. A VATRE is a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, signaling the district is officially considering a significant property tax rate increase that would require a public vote.
Response
DEMAND DETAILS: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding the Budget Update (Item F2), before any talk of a VATRE, the public deserves a full accounting of all cost-saving measures. What is the plan to close the budget gap without raising taxes on families?’
💰 Impact: Higher Property Taxes
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| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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Undisclosed Legislative Agenda for State Lobbying
The board is set to discuss and possibly approve its ‘Legislative Priorities,’ which is the district’s official lobbying platform to use at the State Capitol. The document outlining these priorities was not included in the public agenda, preventing citizens from seeing what the district will lobby for or against in their name with their money.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding Item H4, the district’s Legislative Priorities must be made public before any discussion or vote. Taxpayers have a right to know what you are lobbying for with our money.’
💰 Impact: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Potential Obstruction of Public Records Requests
The board plans to approve a calendar of ‘designated business days’ for the Public Information Act (PIA) on its consent agenda. This can be a bureaucratic tactic to slow down public records requests by limiting the days the district is legally required to respond. The actual calendar was not included in the agenda packet for public review.
Response
INVESTIGATE & PULL FROM CONSENT: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on the district website): ‘Pull Item G10 from the consent agenda. The public must see the proposed calendar for Public Information Act business days to ensure it doesn’t create new barriers to transparency. Post the document online before any vote.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Public Access
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Dozens of ‘Improvement Plans’ Hidden on Consent Agenda
The board is set to approve dozens of Campus and District Improvement Plans in a single vote on the consent agenda. These plans dictate campus-level policy and spending, but their contents have not been made public in the agenda packet, preventing taxpayer review before the vote.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on the district website): ‘I request that Item G7, the approval of all Campus and District Improvement Plans, be pulled from the consent agenda for individual discussion and a recorded vote. Taxpayers must be able to review these plans before they are approved.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Policy Changes
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