Georgetown ISD bond election
The ballot reads: (Proposition A) The issuance of $150,500,000 of bonds by Georgetown Independent School District for the acquisition, construction, renovation and equipment of school buildings, the purchase of school sites and school buses and levying the tax in payment thereof.
(Proposition B) The issuance of $15,500,000 of bonds by Georgetown Independent School District for the acquisition, construction and equipment of a District swim center and levying the tax in payment thereof.
What it means: The district is seeking voter authorization to issue bonds to finance 13 construction and education projects in GISD schools. Increasing home values in GISD mean property owners will see their taxes rise next year, although the district’s bond package does not include an increase to GISD’s tax rate.
Proposition A
- $74 million, elementary school development: Add two new elementary schools including one in the Wolf Ranch development. Expand Ford Elementary School.
- $19.5 million, repair/replace aging building infrastructure: Replace roofs. Replace HVAC systems and controls in GISD buildings.
- $14.5 million, athletic upgrades: Renovate Tippit Middle School Athletics. Add athletic turf and tracks to all middle schools except Wagner. Renovate the field house, softball field and practice field at East View High School. Replace Georgetown High School’s baseball infield and make the stands accessible.
- $10.6 million, land acquisition: Buy land for future campuses.
- $9.1 million, safety and security: Install keyless access entry. Replace fire alarm systems. Install security cameras and radios that coordinate with local law enforcement. Add fencing around school perimeters. Enclose walkway from Georgetown High School to the Georgetown High Annex.
- $6 million, technology: Replace staff and student devices. Replace Wi-Fi access points. Replace district equipment, including printers and copy machines.
- $4.9 million, renovations at Forbes Middle School and East View High School: Convert multiple classrooms at Forbes and East View into flexible learning spaces.
- $4.3 million, fine arts investments: Update lighting and sound equipment in the Klett Center for the Performing Arts. Buy new band and orchestra instruments.
- $2 million, prepare for a new middle school: Plan and design a new Benold Middle School to accommodate a growing population.
- $2.1 million, new buses: Buy 21 buses.
- $2 million, plan and design a new CTE center: Plan and design a centralized Career and Technical Education center to increase efficiency.
- $1.5 million, future-ready learning classroom experience: Create flexible learning spaces. Update furniture and equipment.
Proposition B
- $15.5 million, new swim facility: Build a district swim facility for competitive swim teams.
City of Georgetown Special Election
The ballot reads: (Proposition A) The reauthorization of the local sales and use tax in the City of Georgetown, Texas, at the rate of one-fourth of one percent to continue providing revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.
What it means: The quarter-cent tax is the primary funding source for street maintenance in Georgetown, according to the city. The Texas Tax Code requires voters to reauthorize such taxes every four years. Georgetown voters first approved the tax in 2002, then subsequently approved the tax again during elections in 2006, 2010 and 2014. The tax brought in more than $3.1 million during the city’s fiscal year 2017-18. That total should rise to about $3.4 million in FY 2018-19, according to city projections. Revenue from the tax in FY 2018- 19 is anticipated to account for 58 percent of the funding needed for the city’s pavement maintenance management program.
Sources: City of Georgetown, Georgetown ISD, Williamson County Elections Department/Community Impact Newspaper
