Op-Ed by Jeff Casper: Prop A Builds the Foundation Mesquite’s Students Deserve

By Jeff Casper, Mesquite City Council member, Dallas College instructor, and Mesquite ISD graduate

My mom didn’t finish high school with her class. She later earned her GED, and she was determined that her children’s experience would be different. So, she did her research and found a good school district: Mesquite ISD. That choice made me a first-generation college student and opened a path to a brighter future.

Today, I’m a Mesquite ISD graduate, a full-time Dallas College instructor who teaches college courses to high school students, and a Mesquite City Council member, serving since 2015. I credit our district with my climb out of poverty. It gave me a sense of belonging, and it showed me that where I started did not decide where I could go. That is what today’s students deserve, and on November 3, Mesquite voters will help decide whether they get it.

The question is Proposition A, a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE). Texas limits how much a school district can raise its operating tax rate, and going above that limit requires a vote of the community. If approved, Prop A would raise about $16.4 million a year for the day-to-day costs of running schools, like teacher salaries, student programs, and services. It’s a 3-cent increase to the operating portion of the tax rate, and even with it, Mesquite’s overall school tax rate would still be lower than it was last year.

When I think about investing in maintenance and operations, the word foundation comes to mind. It is the foundation that supports our students as excellent scholars today and leaders tomorrow, and it starts with the teachers and staff who serve them daily.  

Prop A would provide at least a 2% raise for eligible employees and support for hard-to-staff positions like special education. These are the people our students rely on to show up every day, and that teacher is also a person with bills and maybe a family of their own. When neighboring districts start teachers at thousands of dollars more a year, we lose, and our students lose the teachers who know them best. Each teacher who leaves is a pebble thrown in a pond, and the ripples reach 100 to 200 students in a single year. A 2% raise won’t solve everything, but without it we fall further behind.

Strong schools start with equipped staff, safe campuses, and effective programs. Prop A would also strengthen security with better door-access controls, more security staff, and updated surveillance technology. In Mesquite ISD, 81% of K–12 students participate in fine arts, about 5,000 play athletics, and 90% of high schoolers take a career and technical education (CTE) course. These programs build project management, teamwork, and leadership skills that prepare students to compete in our rapidly growing workforce.

As a council member, I see this connection every day. Many of the businesses we’ve recruited, particularly in advanced manufacturing and the green energy sector, ask the same question: do you have the workforce? Mesquite ISD has made my job easier because employers know our schools prepare young people with the hard and soft skills to fill those positions or start businesses of their own. Thousands of families want to make Mesquite home, and many choose it because they trust the school district down the road. Strong schools bring in jobs, keep families rooted here, and protect the value of the homes we’ve worked hard for. Communities that cut programs or close schools get passed over by new families and employers.

Though it is upon us, this is not a crisis of our own creation. Mesquite ISD has spent taxpayer dollars carefully, and its tax rate has stayed among the lowest in the area. Over the last two years, the district has already cut about $50 million, including $24 million for this school year alone. We shouldn’t have to lay off coaches, teachers, or any staff our young people are counting on. High-quality educators and staff creating a strong support system for every kid is how a first-generation kid like me earned a college scholarship.

What’s at stake is opportunity and bright futures. We can’t control every decision made, but we don’t have to be spectators, and Prop A is our way to take back some power over whether our kids get a high-quality education. Prop A keeps Mesquite the kind of place my mom chose when she wanted more opportunity for her kids. And at this moment, we are doing what we have always done: being our brother’s keeper and investing in our neighbor.  

Now it’s our turn to make that same choice for the next generation and build the foundation that supports our students, families, and community. Election Day is November 3. Please vote FOR Prop A.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mesquite ISD Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election

What is a VATRE?

A Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election. Texas law requires a school district to get voter approval before raising its operating tax rate above a set limit. Prop A asks Mesquite voters to approve a 9-cent increase in the district's maintenance and operations (M&O) rate.

How much would it cost me if I live in Mesquite ISD?

About $8.75 a month for a $250,000 home with the standard $140,000 homestead exemption. Your amount depends on your home's taxable value. Learn more on the district’s Prop A page here.

I'm 65 or older. Will my school taxes go up?

No. If you have the over-65 homestead exemption, your school taxes are frozen, and Prop A doesn't change that.

Didn't voters just approve a bond in 2025?

Yes. But bond money can only pay for buildings, renovations, buses and technology. By law it can't pay teachers, counselors, security staff or other daily operating costs. Prop A pays for those.

What has Mesquite ISD already done to save money?

A lot. The district has cut about $50 million over the past two years, including more than 100 teaching positions. But costs have risen nearly 20% in recent years, about 85% of the budget goes to people, and new state requirements for special education and campus safety have arrived without enough state funding to cover them.

How will I know the money is spent as promised?

Mesquite ISD earned a [Superior / A] rating in the state’s most recent School FIRST review, which grades how well districts manage public money. The district also posts its budget and financial reports online.

What exactly would Prop A pay for?

At least a 2% compensation raise for all full-time employees, more substitute coverage, help recruiting and keeping staff in hard-to-fill roles, continued access to fine arts, athletics, and career programs, and district-employed campus security required by state law.

When and where do I vote?

Early voting runs Oct. 19–30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dallas County voters can vote at any county polling place. Find locations at https://www.dallascountyvotes.org/. Prop A will be near the bottom of your ballot.