Groups both for and against Round Rock ISD’s $572.09 million bond package have started to form ahead of the district's May 6 election.
RRISD is asking voters to approve three ballot propositions that include dozens of projects, such as a new $150 million high school on Pearson Ranch Road in Austin meant to relieve overcrowding at Round Rock High School.
Bond opponents, including the Travis County Taxpayers Union and a recently formed group called the Round Rock Parents and Taxpayers Association held a media event Wednesday outside RRISD’s administrative office. They argued RRISD's bond package is excessive and wasteful.
"The kids are our future. We absolutely want them to have the best education they possibly can have, but this is a very heavy lift for the public," said Roger Falk of the TCTU.
Falk disputed RRISD's tax impact estimate that approving all three of the bond's ballot propositions would increase property tax payments by $2.23 per month—or $26.74 per year—for an average RRISD home valued at $290,000. He argued that by the district taking on more debt from bond sales, the increase to average RRISD taxpayers' bills would be far greater.
RRISD stands by the financial information it has released, said Corey Ryan, the district's executive director of communications and community relations.
"I can't speak to a different political group or what they're saying, but I can tell you that Round Rock ISD has a stellar reputation for how we manage finances," Ryan said.
The bond package also has its supporters.
On Wednesday, former RRISD trustee Catherine Hanna (no relation to current trustee Edward Hanna) announced the creation of a special-purpose political action committee called Classrooms for Kids, which is comprised of RRISD residents who support the bond, according to a news release.
Hanna serves as chairwoman along with Ron Buffum, who led a citizen bond committee that provided input on the bond package to the RRISD board of trustees.
"We believe that passage of the bond is critical to continuing the high quality of education we enjoy in Round Rock Independent School District,” Buffum said in the news release.
In March, both the Round Rock Chamber and the Austin Chamber of Commerce announced their support of the bond package.
Early voting in the election runs April 24-29 and May 1-2.