The Austin ISD board of trustees hears from the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee about a proposed November 2017 window for a facilities bond.[/caption]
The Austin ISD board of trustees may decide to ask voters to consider a bond election in November 2017 to pay for modernizing the school district's aging schools and facilities.
On Monday, trustees received an update during their work session from the AISD Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee, or FABPAC, about how the committee feels that November 2017, as opposed to the originally planned May 2017, may be a good time to call for a bond election. The committee is tasked with addressing which capital improvements the district should pursue, and when bonds should be voted on by constituents, though committee members on Monday did not specify any projects in particular, or a proposed amount for a November 2017 bond.
Instead, committee members asked the board if it could provide any guidance on the proposed November 2017 timeline for a bond election.
Trustee Ann Teich said she supports a November 2017 election as opposed to May 2017 for several reasons, including the timing of elections by other taxing entities.
"If we have a bond election in May 2017, it stands out like a red flag to the public," Teich said. "They will organize against it in my opinion, particularly since the Austin public is a bit bond fatigued. We have the city [of Austin] going out for a transportation bond in November, and that's a huge bond that's already generated controversy."
Teich added that if AISD is going to commit to a November 2017 bond election, then a political action committee has to be formed now.
Most other trustees, including trustee Yasmin Wagner, also supported a proposed November 2017 bond election.
The Austin ISD board of trustees hears from the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee about a proposed November 2017 window for a facilities bond.[/caption]
The Austin ISD board of trustees may decide to ask voters to consider a bond election in November 2017 to pay for modernizing the school district's aging schools and facilities.
On Monday, trustees received an update during their work session from the AISD Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee, or FABPAC, about how the committee feels that November 2017, as opposed to the originally planned May 2017, may be a good time to call for a bond election. The committee is tasked with addressing which capital improvements the district should pursue, and when bonds should be voted on by constituents, though committee members on Monday did not specify any projects in particular, or a proposed amount for a November 2017 bond.
Instead, committee members asked the board if it could provide any guidance on the proposed November 2017 timeline for a bond election.
Trustee Ann Teich said she supports a November 2017 election as opposed to May 2017 for several reasons, including the timing of elections by other taxing entities.
"If we have a bond election in May 2017, it stands out like a red flag to the public," Teich said. "They will organize against it in my opinion, particularly since the Austin public is a bit bond fatigued. We have the city [of Austin] going out for a transportation bond in November, and that's a huge bond that's already generated controversy."
Teich added that if AISD is going to commit to a November 2017 bond election, then a political action committee has to be formed now.
Most other trustees, including trustee Yasmin Wagner, also supported a proposed November 2017 bond election.
