On Feb. 25, the San Marcos CISD board of trustees voted unanimously—"with some major reservations"—to call a $77 million bond election to fund a range of campus improvements and new construction.
The election, to be held May 11, will be divided into two propositions. In Proposition 1, voters will decide whether to issue nearly $58.6 million in bonds to pay for 10 projects, including renovations to elementary and middle school campuses and construction of a new prekindergarten center and a student activity complex for San Marcos High School.
In Proposition 2, voters will decide whether to issue $18.4 million in bonds to build a new football stadium.
"It is a significant investment, but I think it is needed," trustee Paul Mayhew said. "I think it is something to put out there and let the voters decide. The voters need to be be able to tell us if they want that debt or not. If we can explain why those programs are needed, I think they will respond."
Some board members, led most vocally by John Crowley and Lupe Costilla, said they wished the first proposition had been broken down into multiple propositions, allowing voters to say which specific projects they supported.
"Some of [the projects] I can support and some of them I can't, but ultimately it will be up to the voters," said Crowley, who added that he had major reservations about the bond. "I really have a problem with the way this is layered in two proposals."
Combining multiple projects in one bond proposition gives the school district financial flexibility, Superintendent Mark Eads said. If one project is completed for less than the estimated cost, the leftover funds can be allocated to another project included in the proposition. In addition, if voters see multiple propositions on the ballot, it could have the unintended effect of pitting one project against another.
Eads had earlier asked the board members to call an $80 million project, but he removed a request for an aquatic training facility, saying he would attempt to find money for a larger competition swim center at a later date.
If voters approve the bond propositions, taxes would increase by about $70 per year—or less than $6 per month—per $100,000 of property value, Eads estimated.
Proposition 1 projects
- $13.6 million: New student activity complex
- $12.7 million: New prekindergarten center
- $7.6 million: Miller Middle School renovations and additions
- $5.86 million: Goodnight Middle School renovations and additions
- $5.5 million: Hernandez Elementary School renovations
- $5.07 million: New Phoenix Learning Center
- $4.1 million: Mendez Elementary School renovations
- $1.7 million: De Zavala Elementary School renovations
- $1.65 million: Security improvements to all campuses
- $800,000: expansions and additions to support services
Proposition 2 project
- $18.4 million: New football stadium with 8,000-person capacity
