May bond elections: Just over $1.8 billion on the ballot
AUSTIN, Texas - Just over $1.8 billion is on the ballot this May for seven Central Texas school districts.
Blanco ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Hays CISD, Lockhart ISD, Marble Falls ISD, Prairie Lea ISD, and Wimberley ISD are asking voters to approve a collective $1,813,166,340 in school bonds.
The bonds are 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's on the ballot?
By the numbers:
Here's what each district is asking voters to approve:
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Blanco ISD - $32.965 million
Blanco ISD is asking voters for $32.965 million, split into two propositions.
Proposition A - $32.215 million
- 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 - $750,000
- Acquisition/update of instructional technology for students/staff
Tax impact
If passed, 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 - $402.3 million
Dripping Springs ISD is asking voters for $402.3 million, split into two propositions.
Proposition A - $399.7 million
- 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 - $2.6 million
- 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 proposed bond and that pass or fail, the Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate will stay the same for 2025.
The I&S tax rate has held steady at 35 cents per $100 of property value since 2016, says the district.
For more information about DSISD's proposed bond, including a design concept for the second high school, click here.
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Hays CISD- $968.65 million
Hays CISD is asking voters for $968.65 million, split into five propositions.
Proposition A - $498,937,541
- 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 - $396,063,095
- Construction/equipment of new comprehensive high school with 2,800 student capacity
Proposition C - $6,096,071
- Expansion of sub-varsity stadium to a capacity beyond 1,000 seats to allow for a second, shared district varsity competition space
Proposition D - $51,354,633
- 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 - $16,200,000
- 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 with this bond, says the district.
For more information on Hays CISD's proposed bond, click here.
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Lockhart ISD - $93.5 million
Lockhart ISD is asking voters for $93.5 million, split into two propositions.
Proposition A - $92 million
- Construction of new middle school with 1,200 student capacity
Proposition B - $1.5 million
- Funds for future development of other campuses as the district grows
Tax impact
Lockhart ISD says that the proposed bond will not increase the tax rate for property owners, but pass or fail, the I&S rate will remain the same.
Also, if the bond does not pass, the district plans to continue paying for portables to house the rising student population. LISD says that since 2019, it has spent $2,149,523 of taxpayer money from its Maintenance & Operations (M&O) budget on portable buildings.
For more information on Lockhart ISD's bond, including a map of where the proposed middle school will be, click here.
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Marble Falls ISD - $172.2 million
Marble Falls ISD is asking voters for $172.2 million, split into four propositions.
Proposition A - $131,435,000
- 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 - $2,200,000
- Replacement of student/staff devices
Proposition C - $12,515,000
- 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 - $26,050,000
- 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, if approved, 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 proposed bond, click here.
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Prairie Lea ISD - $8.55 million
Prairie Lea ISD is asking voters for $8.55 million, presented as a single proposition.
Proposition A - $8,550,000
- 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 proposed bond, click here.
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Wimberley ISD - $135 million
Wimberley ISD is asking voters for $135 million, split into four propositions.
Proposition A - $109,990,000
- 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 - $6,050,000
- Purchase/upgrade of student/staff devices/support equipment
Proposition C - $5,730,000
- 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 - $13,230,000
- 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 proposed bond, click here.
Early Voting and Election information
What you can do:
Election Day is set for Saturday, May 3.
Central Texans can start casting their ballots in-person during Early Voting, which will run from April 22 through April 29.
Tuesday, April 22, is the last day to register to vote by mail for the May election. All applications must be received by close of business.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the district websites for Blanco ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Hays CISD, Lockhart ISD, Marble Falls ISD, Prairie Lea ISD and Wimberley ISD.