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Hays CISD growth committeePosted November 30, 2007, 3:30 a.m.
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Hays Highway Editor
KYLE – Hays CISD Superintendent Kirk London presented four bond package options Thursday night to the school district's growth impact committee (GIC), proposing that the district could approve up to $95.6 million without raising the property tax rate.
There is a catch. In order to issue $95.6 million in bonds without raising the tax rate, the school district would have to pay the debt over 35 years, rather than the customary 25 or 30 years for school bonds.
Committee members didn't speak with much enthusiasm about carrying new debt for 35 years, but they have three other options. The committee is likely to pick one at a Dec. 6 meeting, then take it to the school board later in the month as a recommendation for a bond election in the first half of 2008.
London and the committee spoke with urgency about the prospects for a bond election, in part because of how the district's last bond election transpired. Voters approved a $46.3 million bond issue with no increase in the tax rate last November, but nearly 4,000 out of 9,456 votes cast went against the bond.
The superintendent suggested that last November's bond election probably was lost in the noise of a very busy ballot including statewide and congressional offices. Committee members pointed to skepticism and apathy.
"I voted ‘no’ the last time for no tax impact," said GIC member Jonanna Mikulenka. "And do you know why? Because I didn't believe it."
London told the committee that advocacy for the bond issue would have to fall with the citizens, because the school district is "limited in what we can do and how we can make our case." London said citizens would have to step forward take the case to "the PTAs, the homeowners associations and the churches."
Among the difficulties discussed was that of convincing homeowners that the school district has handled its bonded projects efficiently in the past, especially in light of developments during the last year at nearby San Marcos CISD. The San Marcos district passed a $122.7 million bond issue in 2004, then went back to voters in May for another $14.3 because of cost over-runs.
Hays CISD has approved bond packages in 2001, 2004 and 2006. In no case has the district gone back to the voters asking for money to cover cost over-runs.
"We wouldn't be in the position we're in now if we were irresponsible," GIC member Kevin Foley said.
In deciding on which bond package to put before voters, the GIC will consider debt amounts ranging from $75 million to $130.7 million, over time ranging from 25 to 35 years.
Option 1 out of four options calls for the school district to borrow $75 million over 25 years with no change in the tax rate. The bonds would pay for:
- Two elementary schools, one to open in 2009 and the other to open in 2010, at a combined cost of $38 million.
- A middle school, at a cost of $30.8 million, to open in 2010.
- Middle school tracks at a total cost of $1.3 million.
- School buses at a cost of $1.2 million.
- Land, infrastructure and contingencies at a total cost of $2 million.
- Parking access and security for $700,000.
- Improvements to existing campuses for $911,567.
Option 2 calls for the school district to borrow $86.7 million over 30 years with no change in the tax rate. Option 2 calls for everything in Option 1, plus:
- An additional $1.2 million for buses.
- An additional $1.1 million for land, infrastructure and contingencies.
- $2 million for district-wide furniture, fixtures and equipment.
- $2 million for technology.
- An additional $300,000 for parking access and security.
- An additional $5.2 million for improvements to existing campuses.
The remaining two options are based on Option 2. Option 3 is the aforementioned $95.6 million over 35 years without changing the tax rate. Option 3 would fund everything in Option 2, plus:
- An additional $1 million for land, infrastructure and contingencies.
- An extra $500,000 for technology.
- $3.5 million for a transportation facility.
- An additional $1 million for parking access and security.
- An additional $3 million for improvements to existing campuses.
Option 4 calls for the school district to borrow $130.7 million over 30 years, raising the property tax rate 7.15 cents per $100 of taxable value. Option 4 calls for all the acquisitions in Option 2, plus two elementary schools – one to open in 2011 at a cost of $21.3 million and the other to open in 2012 at a cost of $22.7 million.
Committee members didn't express clear preferences among the options, but no one spoke in favor of Option 4, which includes the 7.15-cent tax increase. Option 3 drew some derision for its 35-year time frame and $3.5 million expenditure for a transportation station. London said he would come back to the committee with a re-assessment of Option 3, minus the transportation station.
"I'd like to see a compromise between (options) 2 and 3," GIC member Kevin Foley said. "Maybe we don't take the most, but we're not settling for something, either."
The committee's Dec. 6 meeting is tentatively schedule to take place at Hays High School.
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