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Boerne ISD tax rate election results canvassed, leading to higher staff pay

The Boerne ISD tax rate is officially approved following the canvassing of the Nov. 4 election results, which showed voter support for the district to use its remaining golden pennies—a funding mechanism the district can use to generate revenue not subject to state recapture.

The overview: According to a Nov. 5 news release, Boerne ISD’s voter-approval tax rate election will yield $3 million in local funding and require the state to kick in 60 cents for every dollar.

Over 80% of the total $4.8 million has been earmarked to increase staff salaries, including:
  • Restructuring the pay of teachers, nurses and counselors
  • Raising the minimum wage of auxiliary workers to $15 per hour and paraprofessional staff to $16 per hour
  • Raising the minimum teacher starting pay from $55,142 to $60,000
  • Creating special education stipends to retain special education teachers
  • $500,000 additional contributions to employee health care premiums

District staff are expected to receive back pay in December alongside the start of the new salary rates. 

 
In Your Area
New African deli, Trader Joe's: 6 new businesses open around Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch this November

Get the scoop on Boerne's newly opened businesses from the month of November with this roundup.

Play Patch
The new business contains both unique play spaces and rooms for children ages 6 months to 6 years old, plus several work spaces for parents and a coffee bar.

  • 9091 Fair Oaks Parkway, Ste. 205, Fair Oaks Ranch

Luxxe Salon Suites

This new package of rentable salon suites is available to local beauty professionals, featuring amenities and more.
  • 27650 I-10, Ste. 212-215, Boerne

Trader Joe’s

This nationwide grocery store chain has continued its expansion with its newest and closest location to Boerne.
  • 11745 I-10, Ste. 410, San Antonio

Pioneers Meats

This South African meat market brings authentic international snacks like biltong and boerewors further into the Hill Country.
  • 306 River Road, Boerne

Tre Pizzeria

The Boerne-based pizza shop has expanded into the area’s international airport, serving up specialty pizzas, salads and sandwiches.
  • 9800 Airport Blvd., Terminal A, San Antonio

 
News Near You
Wurstfest 2025: Capturing the culture, craft and celebration

From Nov. 6-15, around 220,000 people celebrated German culture while supporting local nonprofit organizations at Wurstfest.

Wurstfest—which originated in 1961—began as a one-day festival created by the New Braunfels meat inspector, Ed Grist, as a festival to honor sausage. The festival has since grown to 10 days of celebrating the city’s German heritage.

Read all about it: Marc Allen, 2025 festival general chair and president-elect, said crowds were evenly dispersed across the 10-day event, and attendance was up about 4%-5%.

“I think it was a huge success,” Allen told Community Impact.

One of the significant changes implemented at the event this year was eliminating drink tickets, which sped up the lines. By eliminating drink tickets more space was created on the grounds.

“We had seven new vendors that we were able to put in spots where drink ticket booths were,” Allen said.

 
Statewide News
Federal court blocks Texas from using redrawn congressional map in 2026 election

Texas cannot use its newly redrawn congressional map in the 2026 election, an El Paso federal court ruled Nov. 18.

The details: The state must instead use the congressional map that Texas lawmakers drew in 2021, after the 2020 census. 

“The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown wrote in the Nov. 18 preliminary injunction. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map. But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.”

What they're saying: Texas Republican leaders said they would “swiftly appeal” the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the court takes up the case, its justices will be pressed for time ahead of the Dec. 8 deadline for candidates to apply to run in the March primary elections.

Texas Democrats celebrated the Nov. 18 ruling as "very good news for Texans."

 

Your local team

Sierra Martin
Managing Editor

Melanie Bostic
General Manager

Email [email protected] for story ideas, tips or questions.

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