Local citizens in Frisco successfully blocked their school district’s massive 13-cent property tax increase proposal, with 58% of voters rejecting the measure.
Traditionally, special elections outside of March, May, or November’s uniform election dates garner extremely low turnout since most voters aren’t aware of the election. Fortunately, Frisco ISD’s decision to call a special election for this purpose backfired.
Early voting turnout exceeded 14%, and was greater than overall turnout during May’s hotly contested city council races inside Frisco, which appeared on a ballot alongside a controversial alcohol-related proposition.
Unsurprisingly, district officials attempted to marginalize citizen opposition by spreading false or misleading propaganda, including claims that “outsiders” were working to sway the election.
Frisco United – a grassroots organization made up of nearly 300 local volunteers – led the opposition against the historic tax hike and raised all of their funding from local taxpayers.
Following the election results, organizers from Frisco United told the Texas Scorecard they hope to succeed in persuading the school board to direct more taxpayer resources towards students and teachers, as opposed to excessive levels of debt and lavish benefits for a “bloated” district administration.
In 2014, Frisco ISD caught the attention of lawmakers for their nefarious “rolling polling” schemes, whereby the district moved early voting locations across the district to target their supporters and suppress overall turnout.
Citizens have long been critical of FISD for routinely padding construction costs for new buildings to increase the size of bond proposals. This wasteful practice has resulted in excessive debt levels and higher-than-necessary property taxes.
