Two years after voters struck down Frisco ISD’s proposed tax hike in 2016, the board of trustees voted to put two new propositions on the Nov. 6 ballot. The tax ratification election proposes a 13 cent increase in the operations portion of the tax rate that would be followed by a district move to enact a 15 cent decrease in the debt portion of the tax rate, with the result being a two cent savings on the total tax rate. The other proposal is a bond to “issue $691 million in debt to finance the construction of new schools, renovations to existing facilities, security measures and more”.

The 2016 election left the community divided and led to budget cuts for the district. However, the decision was made by the minority as just 14.3 percent of voters in the Frisco ISD taxing zone in Collin County, and 18.36 percent in Denton County cast a ballot on the TRE. But that’s not how democracy is supposed to work and all eligible voters in the district must do their research and vote to ensure the results accurately reflects constituents’ desires.

With the proposals’ outcomes concerning students, parents, and taxpayers alike, there is no reason for voters to not do their homework and head to the polls. For students, the election could mean that their school’s maintenance is better funded or that they might attend schools yet to be constructed. For parents it could mean the quality of their child’s education and associated programs, and for all taxpayers it means a two cent deduction to their total tax rate.

An improved turnout is needed to establish the community’s sentiment and put confidence behind the result. Democracy is a privilege and the fact that well under 20 percent of voters cast their ballots in the 2016 special election is a shame as that means more than 4 out of every 5 citizens did not care enough about their tax rate or schools to vote. Given Collin county’s 67.86 percent turnout in the 2016 general election and heated midterm elections on Nov. 6, more voters are likely to show up and must vote on the district’s proposals.

Some might argue that they feel their vote doesn’t matter on the districts propositions. This is exactly the sentiment that ends in a small fraction of voters calling the shots. If citizens feel a certain way about an election’s outcome, they should make their voice heard and their chance is in November.

Eligible voters should attend one of the district’s six community events on the election or watch the livestream in an effort to understand the issues. The first meeting is Wednesday at Staley Middle School beginning at 6:30 p.m. Citizens must fulfill their civic duty, get informed about what’s on the ballot in November, and make a decision that the community can stand behind.