May bond elections: Voters approve just over $1.7 billion
AUSTIN, Texas - Central Texas voters have approved just over $1.7 billion in school bonds.
Blanco ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Hays CISD, Lockhart ISD, Marble Falls ISD, Prairie Lea ISD, and Wimberley ISD asked voters to approve a collective $1,813,166,340 in school bonds this May.
Voters have approved at least $1,747,138,636 based on unofficial election results.
The bonds were proposed to cover a wide range of projects, from new construction and renovation of campus buildings, to new school buses, to technology infrastructure improvements to safety and security upgrades and more.
What was approved and rejected by voters?
By the numbers:
Here's what voters in each district approved or rejected:
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Blanco ISD
Blanco ISD asked voters for $32.965 million, split into two propositions.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 57 percent of the vote, approving $32.215 million for:
- HVAC replacement/addition of 115 HVAC units and controls throughout the district
- Renovation/construction of spaces for special needs students at the elementary and high school campuses
- Construction of new Career & Technical Education (CTE) building
- District renovations to improve infrastructure, educational programs, parking and sidewalks, lighting, safety & security, band hall with paved marching pad, Ag facility, and exterior building improvements
- Bus purchases to replace existing route and extracurricular buses
Proposition B - Approved
Prop B passed with 58 percent of the vote, approving $750,000 for:
- Acquisition/update of instructional technology for students/staff
Tax impact
The bond will increase taxes for homeowners by 5.6 cents, or a monthly tax impact of $16.33 for an average home valued at $450,000.
Homeowners with an "over 65 homestead exemption" will not face a tax increase from the proposed bond.
For more information on Blanco ISD's bond, click here.
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Dripping Springs ISD
Dripping Springs ISD asked voters for $402.3 million, split into two propositions.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 71 percent of the vote, approving $399.7 million for:
- Construction of a second high school with a 2,500 student capacity
- Capital improvements/renovations for Dripping Springs HS and Rooster Springs Elementary
- Capital maintenance across district facilities
- Seat belts for buses, as well as replacement/addition of buses and vehicles
- Technology infrastructure and equipment
- Construction of portables
Proposition B - Approved
Prop A passed with 72 percent of the vote, approving $2.6 million for:
- Technology device refresh for teachers, staff and students
- Interactive panels for classrooms
Tax impact
DSISD says that there is no anticipated tax increase with the bond.
For more information about DSISD's bond, click here.
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Hays CISD
Hays CISD asked voters for $968.65 million, split into five propositions.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 60 percent of the vote, approving $498,937,541 for:
- Construction of new elementary school
- Design fees for new elementary school and new middle school
- Rehabilitations/expansions at four elementary schools, six middle schools, and three high schools
- Improvements to Career and Technical Education facilities, including construction/equipment of Fire Training Academy fire tower
- Upgrades to safety/security, including re-keying locks districtwide, additional wayfinding signage, high school parking lot security access control buildings
- New buses to complete district plan to have bus fleet fully equipped with seatbelts
- Replacements to mechanical, electrical/plumbing, and life safety systems, including fire alarm and suppression systems, emergency lighting, and elevator repair
- Replacements/maintenance of roofs at various campuses
- General districtwide maintenance/repair
- Construction/equipment of maintenance shop at Uhland
- Replacement of materials/equipment for all fine arts programs
- Replacement of materials/equipment for all athletic programs
- Purchase of land for future school sites
- Bond support positions/programs/services
Proposition B - Approved
Prop B passed with 57 percent of the vote, approving $396,063,095 for:
- Construction/equipment of new comprehensive high school with 2,800 student capacity
Proposition C - Rejected
Prop C failed with 48 percent of the vote, rejecting $6,096,071 for:
- Expansion of sub-varsity stadium to a capacity beyond 1,000 seats to allow for a second, shared district varsity competition space
Proposition D - 50/50
Prop D received a split vote. The $51,354,633 was for:
- Construction and equipping of four outdoor, covered and lighted athletics and fine arts educational, rehearsal, and performance facilities, one for each high school including the proposed fourth one in Prop B.
Proposition E - Approved
Prop E passed with 61 percent of the vote, approving $16,200,000 for:
- Network switches at all campuses
- Uniterruptible power switches at all campuses
- Phone system replacements at all campuses
- Instructional technology devices at all campuses
- Common area sound system component replacements
- Replacement of outdated district printshop machines
- New photocopiers at all campuses
Tax impact
There is no tax rate increase anticipated, says the district.
For more information on Hays CISD's bond, click here.
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Lockhart ISD
Lockhart ISD asked voters for $93.5 million, presented in a single proposition.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 75 percent of the vote, approving $93.5 million for:
- Construction of new middle school with 1,200 student capacity
- Funds for future development of other campuses as the district grows
Tax impact
Lockhart ISD says that the bond will not increase the tax rate for property owners, but pass or fail, the I&S rate will remain the same.
For more information on Lockhart ISD's bond, click here.
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Marble Falls ISD
Marble Falls ISD asked voters for $172.2 million, split into four propositions.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 76 percent of the vote, approving $131,435,000 for:
- Districtwide facility renovations, maintenance, safety & security
- Replacement/maintenance of aging buses
- New drop-off/pick-up lanes, parking spots for Highland Lakes and Spicewood elementaries
- Additions/renovations of elementary school restrooms/classrooms
- Replacement/ADA upgrade for elementary school playgrounds
- Expansion/upgrade of Career & Technical Education classrooms
- Enhancements/replacements/purchases of furniture, books, uniforms, curriculum and instructional materials, auditorium microphones/transmitters, science lab instruments
- Expansion of the high school band hall, addition of dedicated dance/drill space, renovation of existing high school auditorium
- Installation of districtwide digital marquees
- Replacement/installation of energy-efficient fixtures, including installing solar panels
Proposition B - Approved
Prop B passed with 75 percent of the vote, approving $2,200,000 for:
- Replacement of student/staff devices
Proposition C - Approved
Prop C passed with 67 percent of the vote, approving $12,515,000 for:
- Installation of artificial turf on softball field
- Replacement of Mustang Stadium turf
- Addition of new scoreboard for Mustang Stadium
- Addition of basketball locker room
- Relocation/upgrade of baseball field with artificial turf
Proposition D - Approved
Prop A passed with 68 percent of the vote, approving $26,050,000 for:
- Construction of 54,000-sq-ft multipurpose building for high school/middle school athletics, marching band, cheerleading, Starlettes, PE classes and elementary field days
- Construction of new high school weight room
- Construction of new high school auxiliary gym
Tax impact
Marble Falls ISD says that the bond will not result in an increase to the current tax rate, which sits at 89 cents per $100 of property valuation.
For more information on Marble Falls ISD's bond, click here.
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Prairie Lea ISD
Prairie Lea ISD asked voters for $8.55 million, presented as a single proposition.
Proposition A - Rejected
Prop A failed with 48 percent of the vote, rejecting $8.55 million for:
- Renovation of elementary school
- Renovation/expansion of restrooms
- Improvements to auditorium
- Renovations of gymnasium restroom/locker room
- Improvements to campus parking/driveway
- Repairs to critical infrastructure/equipment, including HVAC, electrical and lighting
- Creation of administrative office/community meeting space
Tax impact
PLISD says that if approved, the bond would not increase the tax rate.
For more information on Prairie Lea ISD's bond, click here.
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Wimberley ISD
Wimberley ISD asked voters for $135 million, split into four propositions.
Proposition A - Approved
Prop A passed with 73 percent of the vote, approving $109,990,000 for:
- Expansions/construction at multiple campuses/facilities to address enrollment growth, including in gyms, band halls, a new multipurpose educational auditorium, increased parking
- Purchases to increase bus fleet
- Purchase of land for future district expansion
- Construction of multipurpose activity surface (a 70-yard artificial turf field with 15 ft of runoff on all sides
- Upgrades to facility infrastructure, including HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, parking lots, elevators, lighting, sidewalks
- Repairs/improvements to exterior and interior of WHS and DJH
- Repairs/improvements to athletic facilities, including at Texan Gym, Bridges Gym and both DJH gyms
- Replacement/addition of Wireless Access Points
- Updates to server infrastructure
- Replacement/upgrades to existing network firewall
- Replacement/upgrades to existing wired switches
- Replacement of district copiers
- Replacement/standardization of intercom systems districtwide
- Upgrades to fire alarm/fire protection equipment
- Construction of security fencing at WHS/DJH
- Addition/replacement of safety cameras on buses and campuses
- Re-keying of campus doors
- Purchase of panic alert system/security devices for staff
Proposition B - Approved
Prop B passed with 74 percent of the vote, approving $6,050,000 for:
- Purchase/upgrade of student/staff devices/support equipment
Proposition C - Approved
Prop A passed with 61 percent of the vote, approving $5,730,000 for:
- Replacement of turf at Texan Stadium
- Renovation of track
- Replacement/addition of seating
- Relocation of shot/discus field
- Repairs/replacement to field lighting
- Expansion of concessions
- Improvements to drainage
- Purchase/upgrade to laundry equipment
Proposition D - Approved
Prop D passed with 64 percent of the vote, approving $13,230,000 for:
- Construction of shaded multipurpose activity center for athletics and fine arts educational/rehearsal/practice space*
*This will cover the turf field proposed in Prop A.
Tax impact
Wimberley ISD says the bond is anticipated to increase the tax rate by three cents, which would translate to a monthly tax increase of $10 for a WISD homeowner whose home has a taxable value of $400,000.
For more information on Wimberley ISD's bond, click here.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the individual school districts and county unofficial election results.