Rollback Election Causes Confusion In Wording
EL PASO, TX. – The outcome of theYsleta Independent School District’stax rate election was very close and it may have been affected because it was called a “rollback” election.
The second sentence on the ballot says, “The rate is thirteen cents higher per 100 dollars valuation than the school district rollback tax rate.” YISD’s Superintendent, Hector Montenegrovoiced his concern over the possible confusion saying, “Looking at that,I said, do you vote yes or do we vote no?”
“The election was to determine if there was going to be a tax rollback, so we went in there thinking we were going to vote for the tax rollback, but it turned out if you didn’t want your taxes to go up you had to vote against,” Montenegro added. “Why was it called rollback, you rollback not to do it, or, you know… It was confusing.”
Rollback, by definition, is a return to a lower level of prices, wages, etc., as by government order. Andthewordingeven baffled the county elections administrator,Helen Jamison”It confused me, yes.”YISD says they did their part, distributing information on the rollback election in neighborhoods, including a sample ballot.
“In our case, there may have been some confusion, butI understand that they are going to change the language for any future rollback elections.” Montenegro said the word rollback is going to disappear.
“The state is going to take a serious look at the terminology when it comes to setting a tax rate and it’s my understanding they are going to change the language instead of calling it a rollback, they’re going to call it a tax rate.”
As for this latest election, he says the results will stand despite a perceived confusion. “This is a democratic process and we followed the law and you cannot fault because a few individuals were confused.”
The tax hike passed by just more than two hundred votes. There’s no confusion about the fact that the average homeowner in the Ysleta District will pay about 100 dollars more next year in property taxes.
