Is a school district a special district

Oct 27th 2014 | Posted in State by Dawn Doyle

When it’s election time in Texas and we’re all geared up to elect state, local and judiciary candidates.  But who are all those other folks on the ballot and what are they doing there?

More than likely, you are looking at special district candidates.

Special district governments are independent, special purpose governmental units that exist as separate entities with substantial administrative and fiscal independence from general-purpose local governments. They tend to service areas that cross county and/or municipal boundaries to serve a single or multiple purposes.

Special Districts Most Common Texas Governmental Organization

As a group, special district governments are by far the most numerous Texas governmental organization with more than 3,250 (of which 1,108 are independent school districts). There are 254 counties in Texas and more than 1,200 municipalities.

Legislation provides governance for the special districts. Usually the water, wastewater and environmental special districts are within the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s jurisdiction. Most other districts are governed by the county commissioners’ courts. Most districts can levy ad valorem taxes, sell bonds, sue and be sued. Others have additional powers relating to implementation of sales taxes and fees. The special district boards most frequently have five members. Members are appointed or elected, as the legislation specifies.

ISD Special Districts in Texas

Education is the most commonly recognized form of special district. In addition to the 1,108 independent school districts (ISDs) there is one municipal school district and 50 junior/community college districts and technical training schools. Within the ISDs are charter, home-rule, university and military schools. School board members are elected and have high visibility in the community.

Other Texas Special Districts: Water, Environmental, River Authorities, Health and Safety and more

Water and wastewater – Water, wastewater and solid waste recognize no boundaries. The provision of water in Texas is most commonly delivered by one of Texas’ more than 1,350 special districts such as the North Texas Municipal Water Utility District, a 1,600-square-mile area north and east of Dallas.

(Types: water, water improvement, water control and improvement, fresh water supply, underground water management, water quality control, water development, groundwater management, groundwater conservation, public utilities, municipal water services, county water services, municipal-owned utilities, levee improvement, irrigation, drainage, special utility, municipal utility, regional water, storm water control, storm water management, solid waste and regional solid waste disposal)

Environmental  – Environmental districts are generally conservancy districts and may offer recreational as wells as environmental, water development, water control, flood control and energy production.  Examples include the Lower Colorado, Guadalupe-Blanco and Brazos Valley river authorities. The Edwards Aquifer in Central Texas is an example of an eight-county underground water conservation district.

(Types: conservation and reclamation, soil and water conservation, river and flood control)

River authorities are the best-known example of environmental districts.

Agricultural districts are established under the same constitutional provisions as conservation and reclamation districts. These districts promote and encourage the conservation of soil and water in the area along with noxious weed control and wind erosion.

Health and safety – Such large county hospitals as Harris and Central Healths are not hospital districts. However, Dewitt Medical and Moore County are.  Williamson County has Emergency Services Districts 1 and 7. The City of Fort Worth and most of North Texas have crime control districts.

(Types:  hospitals, health services, mental health and mental retardation, mosquito control, emergency communications, emergency services, crime control, jails and navigation security)

Transportation – Numerous alternatives to the motor fuel tax for providing funding for transportation facilities have been around for 40 years in Texas as exemplified by the Harris County Toll and Metropolitan Transit Authorities. Southwest Parkway in Austin was built by a road utility district. Since 1960, the local populations have not been able to keep pace with the urban growth rates.  Special districts have provided tools to keep people moving.

(Types: transportation reinvestment zones, roads, road utility, toll, regional mobility, rural rail, rail, port, navigation, metropolitan rapid transit, rural and urban transportation, Coordinated County Transportation Authorities – Authorities may only be established in a county that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 1 million).

Economic Development Special Districts in Texas

Economic Development – Economic endeavors use the innate flexibility of the special district to facilitate the provision of specific opportunities. Liberty Hill has a library district and Houston has Houston 1st to manage the community professional soccer, football, baseball and basketball venues.

(Types: Municipal management, municipal development, county development – population less than 400,000, sports, sports and community venues, libraries, county assistance, community improvement, homestead reinvestment and preservation, housing and housing finance).

Summary

Special districts are flexible and can move rapidly to address community challenges. Most tax payers attribute property taxes to the municipality in which they live. More than likely 2/3 of that money goes to the school district. Comal County emergency services recipients pay one cent per $100 valuation; Richwood Crime Control collects 2.5 cents; Las Damas Management District levies 1.5 cents; Cibolo Canyon Special Improvement District assesses 1.5 cents and Leon Valley Crime Control costs an additional 1.5 cents. If you live in the unincorporated areas near the Harris and Montgomery County border you may be paying library, improvement district, waste disposal, emergency and parkway development fees in addition to independent school and community college taxes.

Dawn Doyle is a Senior Consultant at Strategic Partnerships Inc. with more than 30 years of federal, state, and private sector experience. She has expertise in the areas of transportation and urban planning.

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